The Supreme Court’s decision to remove stray dogs from Delhi-NCR has led to significant financial concerns for the MCD. The corporation anticipates daily expenses of approximately ₹11 crore to implement this order. The estimated costs cover various necessities for each dog, including food, transport, sanitation, medical treatment, and staff salaries. With the MCD already facing financial difficulties, this additional expense is a major challenge. Authorities estimate that the cost per dog will be about ₹110 per day, including food, transportation, cleaning, medical care, staff, and utilities. While awaiting the court’s official order, the MCD has started preliminary meetings to assess costs and potential shelter sites. The MCD is currently sterilizing over 350 dogs daily, spending approximately ₹1,000 per dog on sterilization. The Supreme Court has ordered Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad to create shelters for at least 5,000 dogs within 6-8 weeks and to start catching dogs immediately. The MCD is planning to use microchips to monitor the dogs’ vaccinations and sterilization data. Plans include a large shelter in Ghogha Dairy, along with consideration of other locations such as Dwarka Sector 29. The extent of the relocation will be dictated by the final court decision.
