Delhi faces a significant challenge in managing its stray dog population, estimated at 8 lakh, especially in light of a Supreme Court order mandating the relocation of stray dogs to shelters within eight weeks. This directive has prompted a search for effective strategies, contrasting with the successful approaches of countries such as the UK, Netherlands, and Bhutan. The UK prioritizes collection, identification, and rehoming of stray dogs. Local authorities are responsible for collecting strays, checking for identification, and housing them for a period before rehoming or, as a last resort, euthanasia. Abandoning pets is illegal, punishable by substantial fines and imprisonment, thereby reducing the incidence of stray dogs. The Netherlands has achieved a “stray dog-free” status through its Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) program, where stray dogs are captured, sterilized, vaccinated, and either returned to a controlled environment or adopted. A heavy tax on dogs purchased from stores incentivizes adoption from shelters. Animal abuse and abandonment are severely penalized. Bhutan, through a comprehensive sterilization and vaccination program, achieved 100% sterilization of its stray dog population by 2023. The initiative, launched in 2021, built on prior efforts to sterilize and vaccinate stray dogs, resulting in the sterilization of over 150,000 dogs. Morocco employs a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program, similar to the Netherlands. Turkey has mandated the removal of stray dogs, offering them for adoption or, in some cases, euthanasia. Japan focuses on adoption after quarantine, with low-cost spaying and neutering programs. China has implemented mass rabies vaccination, registration, and responsible dog-keeping rules, leading to a reduction in stray dogs and rabies cases in urban areas. Switzerland also penalizes pet abandonment and mandates pet registration, with some regions requiring owner certification.
