Bollywood actor John Abraham, who is a well-known animal lover, shot a letter to the Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, on Tuesday, urging him to review the Supreme Court's verdict of locking up stray dogs in Delhi in shelter homes. The actor said that the dogs are very much a part of the city like everyone else and they cannot be caged.
In his letter addressing CJI Gavai, John wrote, "I hope you will agree that these are not 'strays' but community dogs -- respected and loved by many, and very much Delhiites in their own right, having lived in the region as neighbours to humans for generations."
He also called the SC's decision "impractical and inhumane", and cited the World Health Organisation and the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Dog Rules, 2023, which states that stray dogs need to be sterilised, vaccinated and sent back to their home areas, and not caged.
Seeking "compassion, science-based solutions and compliance with Indian law", John asked the CJI to review SC's verdict, and warned that displacing Delhi's dog population of almost 19 lakh would increase public health risks.
John is yet to receive a reply to his letter.
What did SC say about stray dogs?
For those unversed, the Supreme Court on Monday passed a verdict ordering all stray dogs across Delhi to be transferred to shelter homes, citing safety concerns. The court also mentioned that local authorities need to ensure that no dog escapes the shelter homes.
The verdict sparked a massive debate across the nation, and animal lovers and activists protested against the decision. Several celebs including Janhvi Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, Rupali Ganguly, and others, also urged the judiciary to order sterilisation and vaccination of strays instead of locking them up.
