Key Points

In a major step to contain the menace of stray dogs in the state, the Punjab government on Friday, 22 May 2026, has launched a state-wide campaign against stray dogs amidst rising cases of dog-bites incidents. 

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a statement posted to X, said the government will remove stray dogs in areas of high-footfall to ensure public safety, and also stated that the Supreme Court’s recent directive against stray dogs will be implemented “in letter and spirit.” Mann stressed that children, senior citizens, and families should be able to move freely in public spaces without fear. He announced that adequate shelters will be created and maintained for their proper care, reaffirming the government’s commitment to balancing human safety and animal welfare.

"The Punjab government will strictly follow, in letter and spirit, the Supreme Court order given on May 19, 2026. As per the SC orders, we will remove stray dogs from all high footfall public spaces so that children, senior citizens and families can move freely without fearing for their safety," Mann wrote in the X post. 

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Mann promised that legally-permissible measures including euthanasia will be undertaken  in cases involving rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous and aggressive dogs, which may prove to be a threat to human life and safety. "We will create and maintain an adequate number of dog shelters where they can be cared for properly," he added. 

The CM further wrote that all measures will be undertaken under strict compliance with the Prevention to Cruelty Act and Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. Referring to the Supreme Court’s directions issued on May 19, 2026, the Chief Minister said the Punjab government has already issued necessary instructions to all departments for strict compliance.

Punjab currently has only one functional dog pound, located in the Haibowal area of Ludhiana, which has a capacity of around 500 dogs, despite having 166 urban local bodies across the state. 

Sources in the Local Bodies Department said the existing stray dog policy focuses on two main components: Animal Birth Control (ABC) and shifting stray dogs to shelters. The state is yet to formulate a euthanasia policy for stray dogs. 

Of Punjab’s 23 districts, the lone dog pound in Ludhiana remains the only available facility for sheltering as of now. “There is no stray dog pound anywhere else in the state. The government will have to acquire land to set up new facilities, preferably away from populated areas. But land is scarce and expensive,” said a senior official.

Supreme Court’s judgement on stray dogs

In a landmark directive delivered on May 19, 2026, the Supreme Court allowed for euthanasia— meaning intentionally ending life— of stray dogs who are rabid, incurably ill, or demonstrably dangerous. The top court reiterated that this decision was taken to curb the threat to human lives, saying the right to live with dignity encompasses the right to move freely without the threat of harm from canines.

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In the court ruling, the bench comprising of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria also observed that when that when the safety and lives of human beings are weighed against the interests and welfare of sentient beings, the constitutional balance must favour of the preservation and protection of human life.

Protests erupt at Khalsa College

Even though the Municipal Corporation says that they have yet to receive any official directions from the government to begin removing stray dogs from areas, a disturbing case of animal abuse and cruelty has already emerged in the capital city Ludhiana. 

At the Khalsa College, demonstrations were held outside the college premises on Friday, 22 May 2026, after viral video clips, wherein stray dogs were shown to be abused and injured inside the college campus, started making rounds on social media. In one clip, a battery-operated rickshaw is seen dragging a stray dog, while other clips showcase men armed with lathis and carrying nets to use against the dogs. Visuals of injured dogs with bloody wounds, as well as of a room splattered supposedly with dog blood, has drawn the most ire online.

The protesters have called for an independent investigation to probe into the alleged instances of animal abuse and cruelty. They also called for the strays seen in the viral videos to be produced and assessed to ensure their health and well-being.

In response, the college’s Principal Atam Singh Randhawa maintained that no dogs were harmed inside the college premises and that the alleged abusers shown in the video were not related to the college administration. Terming the viral videos a “way to malign the institution's image.” Randhawa promised that the matter would be investigated thoroughly and involved individuals would be dealt with.

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