As Supreme Court orders dog removal in Delhi NCR, Shimla rolls out GPS tags, QR codes for coexistence

The Shimla Municipal Corporation has rolled out a new campaign to manage the rising stray dog population by fitting them with GPS-enabled collars carrying QR codes. The collars will store each dog’s sterilisation status, vaccination history, health records, age and behavioural details. Residents can scan the QR codes to access this data, helping improve monitoring and community safety.

The initiative, supported by NGOs and volunteers, also includes awareness programmes for schoolchildren, local residents and ward councillors on handling aggressive dogs. Educational materials will be distributed widely to prevent dog-related incidents.

The move comes as the Supreme Court has reserved its order on a contentious directive to remove stray dogs from Delhi NCR — a decision that drew sharp criticism from politicians, activists and citizens. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued before the bench that the August 11 order could result in cruelty, culling and health hazards, urging a stay. Chief Justice BR Gavai assured he would review the plea.

India has an estimated 1.53 crore of canine population and the government aims to sterilise and vaccinate 70% of the country’s stray dogs within the next year. This initiative seeks to both protect people and manage the growing dog population.

Globally, the issue of dog populations varies. While some reports indicate that India has the fastest-growing dog population, countries like the United States, Brazil, and China are often cited as having the largest overall dog populations, including both pets and strays.

According to WorldAtlas and government data, several countries have significant dog populations, both as pets and strays.

Top 10 countries with the most dogs

• United States: 75.8 million dogs; widespread pet services, strict animal welfare laws, and large dog-friendly infrastructure
• Brazil: 35.7 million dogs; nearly half of households own one, supported by public vaccination programmes
• China: 27.4 million dogs; rapid rise in urban pet ownership boosting the pet market.
• India: 15.3 million stray dogs; government plans 70% sterilisation and vaccination within a year.
• Russia: 15 million dogs; growing stray numbers, including “metro dogs” that use public transport.
• Japan: 12 million dogs; booming $10 billion pet industry, with dogs often seen as family.
• Philippines: 11.6 million dogs; rabies deaths prompted a shift from culling to humane vaccination.
• Argentina: 9.2 million dogs; government-led sterilisation and vaccination programmes underway.
• France: 7.4 million dogs; strict microchipping and vaccination laws, but high annual abandonment.
• Romania: 4.1 million dogs; stray population surged in the 1980s after urban migration. Past culling drew criticism from animal rights groups.