'Cats Will Eat The Rats, Let's Have Lesser Dogs': Decoding SC Remark On Stray Menace

The Supreme Court’s hearing on stray dog management took an unexpected turn on Thursday, when Justice Sandeep Mehta, part of a Bench also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and N V Anjaria, remarked: “Dogs

and cats are enemies… so let there be fewer dogs; cats will eat the rats.”The comment came amid submissions that expanded the debate beyond canines, with senior advocate C U Singh referring to rodent and cat “menaces” while discussing urban animal control.In response, the Bench clarified its earlier position, stressing that it had “only and only” directed that dogs be kept out of institutional areas, and had not ordered their removal from public streets.Also Read: ‘Now Only Dog Counselling Is Left’: What Supreme Court Said on Stray Dog Menace The Bench reiterated that no blanket order against stray dogs exists and that animal management must strictly adhere to existing rules.Several senior lawyers echoed a common concern, arguing that the real issue is not the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules themselves but their poor and uneven implementation by states. A structured, phased approach, they said, could address public safety concerns without turning city streets into an unintended wildlife battleground.The top court is currently reviewing compliance with its November 7, 2025 order, which directed that stray dogs be removed from schools, hospitals, bus stands and railway stations, and shifted to shelters.

"How do you identify dog's mood"

Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Nath said, "It's not only that the dog would bite and chase somebody, but an accident can occur. While they are running on the road, it is a problem. Roads where there are moving vehicles. It's just not biting." Senior advocate Kapil Sibal - who was representing the petitioner dog lovers - told the top court that not every dog does it, and it is essential to identify.Also Read: SC Order on Stray Dogs: Does Delhi-NCR Have Enough Shelters For 10 Lakh Dogs? What PETA Said "How do you identify which dog is in which mood in the morning, you do not know…", said Justice Nath. Sibal said, is the solution that all dogs must be sheltered? The bench said that there should be an exercise to ensure roads or streets are free of dogs.Sibal said dogs live in compounds and they live in universities, and "when I was in a university, there were dogs and none bit me, and many dogs are in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)". Justice Mehta asked are you serious, and added, "your information is outdated. National Law School of India University, Bengaluru has reported many attacks".Justice Nath said there should be an exercise to prevent dog bite incidents, and "nobody is saying that remove the dogs and shoot them, no…roads have to be clear of dogs".