New Delhi [India], August 12 (HBTV): Police on Monday detained animal rights activists, rescuers, caregivers, and dog lovers who were protesting in front of India Gate against the Supreme Court order to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters within eight weeks.

‘They don't want us to talk. These people are throwing everyone into jail. I am being detained because I do the noble work of feeding animals,’ said a caregiver while being detained for protesting against the Supreme Court order.

Earlier in the day, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan stated that all localities should be made free of stray dogs and that there should be no compromise. It also made clear that no captured animal would be released back onto the streets.

The court ordered contempt proceedings against any individual or organisation that attempts to obstruct authorities from carrying out the capture drive.

‘If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance,’ said Justice Pardiwala.

The apex court also directed states and municipal authorities to create dog shelters with sufficient staff to sterilise and immunise the animals.

‘NCT Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, MCD, NMDC shall start picking up stray dogs from all localities, particularly from more vulnerable localities. It is for the authorities to look into if they have to create a force, do it at the earliest. However, this should be the first and foremost exercise to make all localities free of stray dogs. There should not be any compromise in undertaking the exercise,’ the bench stated. (ANI)