Zeenat Aman, Rupali Ganguly, Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Shalini Pandey criticise ‘removal of protectors’, call it ‘soulless decision’
As the Supreme Court passed the order to relocate stray dogs to shelters in Delhi, it met with extreme negative reaction from the film and television fraternity.
Rupali Ganguly and Varun Dhawan with their dogs
The Supreme Court’s verdict on the relocation of the stray dogs to the shelters in Delhi-NCR has sparked a massive online debate, with several animal lovers from the entertainment industry voicing their displeasure over the decision of the apex court.
Veteran actress Zeenat Aman wrote on her Instagram stories: “Disheartened by the recent news about stray dog ‘removal’ in Delhi. I join animal lovers from across the world in asking for a more humane, logical and science-backed approach to the issue.” Sonakshi Sinha shared: “Day by day, we expose how soulless we have become as a society. Every day is a disappointment.”
Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan have reacted to the Supreme Court’s recent order. They both took to Instagram stories and reshared a post that called this decision a “death sentence for all dogs”.
Rupali Ganguly shared her views on X, saying: “In our traditions, dogs guard Bhairav Baba’s temple and are fed on Amavasya for blessings. They’ve grown up on our streets, guarding shops, waiting outside our doors, barking away thieves.” “If we remove them now, we risk losing our protectors before the real dangers arrive, like silencing an alarm before a fire. Sending them to far-off shelters isn’t kindness, it’s exile. Stray dogs aren’t outsiders; they’re part of our faith, our culture, our safety. Care for them, vaccinate them, feed them and let them live where they belong. #straydogs,” the ‘Anupamaa’ actress added.
In our traditions, dogs guard Bhairav Baba’s temple and are fed on Amavasya for blessings. They’ve grown up on our streets, guarding shops, waiting outside our doors, barking away thieves.
If we remove them now, we risk losing our protectors before the real dangers arrive, like…
— Rupali Ganguly (@TheRupali) August 12, 2025
Shriya Pilgaonkar feels: “Compassion and practicality must go hand in hand. While I understand the need to address safety concerns, sending all stray dogs to shelters is not a humane or sustainable solution. We do not have adequate shelters for stray animals in India and most shelters are already overcrowded and under-resourced. Instead of uprooting strays from their familiar territories, we need community-driven sterilisation, vaccination, and feeding programmes that allow humans and animals to coexist safely.”
Arjun Reddy and Maharaj actress Shalini Pandey wrote on Instagram, “Dogs aren’t on the streets by choice. We put them there. The solution isn’t removal, it’s action: stop uncontrolled breeding, ensure sterilisation, spread awareness.”
According to the Supreme Court’s ruling, the local authorities have been instructed to capture and transfer every stray dog in the Delhi-NCR region to designated shelters. SC has further stressed that none of the animals should be allowed to escape from these shelter homes
(Except for the headline, the copy is not edited by DNA staff, and is published from IANS)
