A Delhi court has pulled up the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre for failing to comply with a judicial order directing it to hand over the custody of 10 dogs seized during a police investigation, calling the shelter’s explanation “totally unsatisfactory” and “evasive”.
Additional Sessions Judge Surabhi Sharma Vats made the remarks while hearing a criminal revision petition filed by the animal shelter against a magistrate court’s order that asked it to release the dogs to their accused owner, Vishal.
The FIR in the case was registered at Jagat Puri police station. Advocate Mayank Sharma appeared for Vishal. In an order dated January 13, the court took a strong view of the shelter’s conduct.
“In light of the above, it is submitted that the revisionist’s (animal shelter) conduct demonstrates blatant non-compliance, gross negligence and deliberate misrepresentation, all while claiming to act for animal welfare. Their actions endanger life, violate statutory duties and constitute a misuse of their supposed authority,” the court said.
The judge also questioned the role the animal care centre had assumed.
It observed that the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre was not a guardian of animals but “a custodian in name only”, and that continued custody of the dogs could “only perpetuate risk to innocent, defenceless animals”.
“A shelter or centre for animals or animal care claiming custody of thousands of animals is expected to maintain proper records, identification protocols, medical documentation and traceability, particularly in respect of animals taken into custody under the authority of law,” the court said.
Emphasising the legal and ethical status of animals, the court added that animals, birds and other living beings are not inanimate objects, case property or disposable items, and are entitled to life, dignity and proper care under the law.
The order also referred to submissions made earlier by the shelter before the trial court.
“A perusal of the order dated December 24, 2025, reveals that submissions were made on behalf of the revisionist before the trial court that all 10 dogs were in their custody and none of them have been sold/adopted; that the animals were not in good health and requested to file update on the said dogs and that some of the dogs might have died during custody,” the court noted.
The judge said these statements were deeply troubling.
“The statements made by the animal care shelter are extremely alarming, as they indicate gross lapses in supervision, medical care and accountability, raising serious concerns about the manner in which the revisionist has discharged its statutory duties,” the order said.
The court has now directed the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre to file a detailed, comprehensive and sworn status report on the next date of hearing.
The report must include details of all animals taken into custody, animals returned to owners, deaths during custody along with veterinary records, adoptions or transfers, the current status and location of each animal, and the systems in place for identification and record-keeping.
