On 9 January 2026, the Supreme Court of India came down sharply on veteran actor Sharmila Tagore during a hearing on the stray dog menace, rejecting arguments opposing a uniform approach to managing the issue and warning against what it described as an attempt to normalise and even glorify the presence of stray dogs in sensitive public spaces such as hospitals.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for Tagore cited the example of a reportedly friendly stray dog named “Goldie”, which was said to have lived on the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) campus for several years, to argue that not all stray dogs pose a threat.
The bench, however, strongly objected to this line of reasoning. Questioning the logic of the submission, the court asked whether the dog was also allowed inside operation theatres and highlighted the serious health risks involved. The bench observed, “Any dog that’s on the streets is bound to have ticks. And a dog with ticks in a hospital will have disastrous consequences. Do you understand?”
The judges also rejected what they described as an emotional framing of the issue. The bench, comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N V Anjaria, told counsel, “We’ll let you know the reality of what is being argued. You are completely removed from reality. Don’t try to glorify these dogs in the hospitals.”
Tagore’s counsel had also argued that stray dogs should not be removed or euthanised unless they were first declared “aggressive” by expert committees through behaviour-based assessments. The court dismissed this contention as impractical, reiterating its concerns about patient safety, hygiene and public health.
The bench further rejected a proposal to introduce colour-coded collars for dogs that had bitten people, a practice reportedly followed in countries such as Georgia and Armenia. Questioning its feasibility in India, the court remarked, “What is the population of those countries? Please be realistic.”
While criticising the submissions made on behalf of Tagore, the Supreme Court clarified that it had not ordered the blanket removal of all stray dogs from public spaces. It said its directions were limited to the implementation of the existing Animal Birth Control rules.
The matter is scheduled to be heard next on 13 January 2026.
Source: OpIndia
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