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Court Slams Shelter for Animal Custody Failures
17 Jan
Summary
- Court deemed shelter not a guardian but a custodian of animals.
- Shelter failed to provide a report on 10 seized dogs.
- Allegations of cruelty by the shelter were unsubstantiated.
A New Delhi court has delivered a strong rebuke to the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre, characterizing its role as a custodian rather than a guardian of animals. This judicial criticism arose from a case involving the seizure of 10 dogs belonging to petitioner Vishal. The shelter had alleged cruelty, but later failed to substantiate these claims.
The trial court had repeatedly ordered the release of the dogs, initially in August 2025, then in December 2025, and again on January 13, 2026. On January 16, 2026, the shelter failed to submit a detailed report on the animals, citing insufficient time.
Additional sessions judge Surabhi Sharma Vats emphasized the duty of shelters to protect animal life and dignity. The court found the shelter's explanations regarding the dogs' whereabouts "totally unsatisfactory," highlighting conflicting statements about whether the animals were still in custody or possibly deceased.
