Advocating for Humane, Inclusive, and Sustainable Coexistence Between Humans and Animals in Urban India

The Urban Animal Question

As Indian cities grow denser and faster, one of their most visible — and most contested — inhabitants is the dog. Delhi alone is estimated to have around one million free-ranging dogs, navigating the same streets, markets, and neighbourhoods as its human residents. How a city treats its animals is, ultimately, a reflection of how it treats its most vulnerable — and a test of the values embedded in its governance. The Conversation

The Delhi NCR Kennel Club, under the cIUCC umbrella, is a platform that takes this question seriously — not merely as a public safety issue, but as a matter of urban ethics, civic design, and the rights of sentient beings.

A City at a Crossroads

The tension is real and urgent. In 2024 alone, Delhi reported over 1.5 lakh dog bite cases. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of Delhi’s escalating stray dog situation and directed the Delhi government and civic bodies of Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad to relocate stray dogs from streets to dedicated shelters. NCR GuideKhanglobal Studies

Yet the solution is not simple. The order proved unworkable — there simply aren’t shelters for millions of dogs — and sparked fierce backlash from animal rights groups. Within two days, the court reversed its decision and reinstated the long-standing sterilisation policy. The Conversation

This back-and-forth reveals a deeper failure: the absence of a coherent, humane, and city-scale framework for human-animal coexistence in Indian urban planning.

What the Delhi NCR Kennel Club Stands For

The Delhi NCR Kennel Club advocates for a rights-based, evidence-driven approach to urban animal welfare. Our work spans three interconnected areas:

1. Responsible Pet Ownership & Breeding Standards
Rapid urbanization has fuelled a booming, largely unregulated pet industry in Delhi NCR. Kennel clubs emphasise responsible and humane behaviour towards breeding, showing and owning dogs, providing a platform for breeders and enthusiasts to come together and promote the welfare of dogs. We work to raise these standards across the region — championing ethical breeding, proper registration, and owner education. EzyLegal

2. Stray Dog Welfare & the CNVR Model
The Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 mandate the Capture–Neuter–Vaccinate–Release (CNVR) method, aligning with global standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health. Urban Local Bodies are now required to sterilize at least 70% of stray dogs, with central funding allocated for sterilization and vaccination. We support rigorous, humane implementation of this framework across Delhi NCR municipalities — and advocate for the infrastructure investment it requires. Ainvest

3. Animal Rights in Urban Policy
Dogs — stray and owned — are sentient beings with the capacity to suffer, bond, and thrive. Their welfare cannot be an afterthought in city planning. We advocate for their inclusion in urban governance frameworks: designated feeding zones, animal-friendly public spaces, veterinary access in low-income neighbourhoods, and legal protections against cruelty.

The Bigger Picture: Urbanization and Sentient Life

India has at least 60 million free-ranging dogs — a number shaped directly by patterns of urban growth, waste management, and the breakdown of traditional village-to-city migration. The stray dog crisis is not separate from the urbanization crisis — it is a symptom of it. Poorly planned urban sprawl, inadequate waste infrastructure, and the absence of animal welfare in city masterplans have together created conditions where both humans and animals are unsafe. The Conversation

A truly inclusive city plans for all its inhabitants — including the non-human ones.

Join Us

The Delhi NCR Kennel Club welcomes dog owners, breeders, animal welfare advocates, veterinarians, urban planners, and policymakers to engage with us. Together, we can help shape a Delhi NCR where the growth of our cities does not come at the cost of the lives — and rights — of sentient beings.

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