It’s Thursday morning, January 29, 2026, and if you’ve been following the stray dog crisis in India, the Supreme Court just held a mirror up to the state governments, and the reflection wasn’t pretty. While hearing a batch of petitions on Wednesday, the bench led by Justice Vikram Nath basically accused states of “storytelling” and “building castles in the air.
The thing is, while thousands are being bitten, the paperwork being filed in court is looking more like fiction than a fix. Or nothing.
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The “Castles in the Air” Hearing: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where state affidavits are making bold claims that don’t match the reality on the ground. Here’s the ground reality from the courtroom:
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The “Fudged” Figures: Jharkhand claimed they sterilized nearly 1.9 lakh dogs in just two months. The bench didn’t buy it for a second, calling the data “absolutely fudged up.” The thing is, Delhi takes an entire year to do one lakh—the math just wasn’t mathing. Those too.
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The Assam Shock: Assam was the only state to provide actual dog-bite data, and the numbers are terrifying. In 2024, there were 1.66 lakh bites. In January 2025 alone, there were 20,900. Let’s be real—that’s almost 700 people bitten every single day in one state. And here’s the kicker—the state only has one functional dog center.
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The “Beach” Problem: Amicus Curiae Gaurav Agarwal pointed out that dogs on beaches in Goa and Kerala are scavenging on fish carcasses and becoming aggressive, which is now actively trashing the tourism industry. The court agreed that these dogs simply cannot be released back onto the sand. Or nothing.
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Liability & Feeders: Back on January 13, the court had already warned that it might start ordering states to pay “heavy compensation” for every bite. It also mooted the idea of holding dog feeders personally accountable. The message is clear: if you want to feed them, you might have to own them—and the consequences.
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Stray Dog Compliance Tracker (Jan 29, 2026)
| State / Topic | Status Reported | SC Observation |
| Jharkhand | 1.9 Lakh sterilisations in 2 months. | “Absolutely fudged-up figures.” |
| Assam | 1.66 Lakh bites (2024). | “Astonishing and shocking.” |
| Bihar | 20,648 dogs sterilised. | “Totally insufficient” (6 Lakh+ strays). |
| Karnataka | Identified strays in institutions. | “Haven’t picked up a single dog.” |
| Institutional Fencing | “Under process.” | “Total eyewash.” |
And Here’s the Kicker…
The Supreme Court is done being nice. Justice Nath warned that they will pass “strong strictures” against any state that continues to file vague affidavits. The thing is, they’ve even threatened to summon Chief Secretaries back to court if there isn’t “tangible improvement.” Those too.
One side comment—the court also touched on a recent incident where a lawyer in the Gujarat High Court complex was bitten, and other lawyers reportedly attacked the municipal workers who came to catch the dog. It’s an ongoing situation where “dog love” is clashing violently with public safety. Or nothing.
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End…
