An order by India’s top court to authorities in capital Delhi and its surrounding areas to relocate all stray dogs to shelters within eight weeks, citing a rise in rabies cases, has sparked a debate between advocates of animal rights and public safety.

India’s top court has ordered authorities in New Delhi to start removing all stray dogs from its streets and to sterilize and relocate them to shelters permanently.

The animal rights body has said the rise in the number of stray dogs on Delhi's streets reflects the failure to implement an effective sterilisation programme. "Instead of wasting time, effort, and public resources on ineffective and inhumane displacement drives, an effective sterilisation program is still the solution and urgent need."