Relocating Delhi’s nearly one million stray dogs to permanent shelters could drain the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s finances, with early estimates putting the daily bill at Rs 11 crore. According to a Hindustan Times report, the civic body has said that feeding, transporting, and caring for each dog would cost at least Rs 110 a day. This reiterates what the dog lovers and animal rights groups have been saying since Supreme Court’s relocation directive on Monday. The MCD’s statement has put a spotlight on the gigantic price tag of complying with the Supreme Court’s recent relocation order.
Delhi’s stray dog relocation drive: A look at rough estimates
At present, the MCD captures and sterilises over 350 dogs daily, keeping them for a 10-day observation period before release. Each sterilisation costs roughly Rs 1,000. If all of Delhi’s estimated one million stray dogs were moved to shelters, the cost could reach about Rs 11 crore per day.
Senior MCD officials have told HT that they are waiting for the Supreme Court’s formal order before deciding their next steps. In the meantime, initial meetings have been held to estimate costs and identify possible sites for shelters.
Inputs from shelter operators and officials suggest that the daily expense for each dog would include food, transport, cleaning, medical treatment, staff salaries, and utilities like water and electricity.
For now, the initial plan is to focus only on a few thousand dogs — mainly those involved in repeated biting incidents or suffering from illness.
According to the SC’s ruling, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad must each build shelters for at least 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks and begin immediate operations to capture them.
MCD eyes new spots for dog shelters, but warns of financial strain
MCD is considering an 80-acre site at Ghogha Dairy for a large dog shelter, along with other possible locations such as Dwarka Sector 29. However, officials told HT that the scale of relocation will depend on the Supreme Court’s final order. They warned that if all stray dogs have to be moved, resources will fall far short of what’s needed.
As per the report, the MCD steps up dog-catching drive in areas around the Red Fort, Raj Ghat, and other high-security zones every year before Independence Day.
In its latest annual budget, the MCD described its finances as being in serious difficulty, with heavy liabilities such as unpaid contractor bills, staff salaries, retirement benefits, and loan repayments. Officials noted that the high cost of sheltering dogs, even if the number is limited, would place an additional burden on the already stretched budget.