On Nov 7, 2025, Supreme Court mandated immediate removal of all community dogs from precincts of educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes and transport hubs. The mandate is absolute: local bodies must capture these animals, sterilise them and, crucially, never release them back. If we apply a conservative estimate of just 10 community dogs 'within and around' (as the court order states) each institution, we are looking at relocating some 1.5 cr dogs from educational institutions alone. Only 31,882 primary health centres, 6,359 community health centres, 714 district hospitals and 362 medical colleges exist in the country. In a country where land acquisition is the primary bottleneck for highways, factories and airports, finding 20,000 acres exclusively for dog shelters is, at best, a judicial fantasy and bureaucratic impossibility.Capex for land and construction is staggering.

Source: Economic Times January 02, 2026 11:45 UTC