New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has instructed the central government to finalise the standard operating procedure governing the use of service dogs for assisting individuals with disabilities. A division bench consisting of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Aditi Choudhary stated it anticipates the authorities will conclude the process by the upcoming hearing scheduled for January 7, 2027.
The judicial proceedings stem from a petition submitted by the Dhananjay Sanjogta Foundation, which highlighted the lack of a formal framework regulating therapy and service animals for disabled citizens. The bench expressed its expectation that the relevant respondents will complete the protocol so that affected individuals can properly utilise service dogs to facilitate everyday movement and transportation.
During court proceedings, legal representatives for the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying alongside the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities presented a draft document titled the standard operating procedure on service dogs for assisting disabled persons in India. Government counsel noted that public and stakeholder feedback had been solicited and that formal finalisation of the document is approaching.
Several proposals were put forward during the hearing for potential integration into the final guidelines. These recommendations involved creating an official registry for service dogs and issuing distinct registration numbers, as well as equipping every service animal with a pre-designated coloured unique collar to help security personnel and the general public easily identify the dog as a trained assistant rather than a threat. Additional suggestions recommended that service dogs wear muzzles when entering densely populated venues like shopping malls, movie theaters, and healthcare facilities to maintain safety.
Government counsel assured the bench that these specific recommendations would be forwarded to the competent authorities for evaluation and potential inclusion within the framework. The public interest litigation, originally lodged by the organisation in 2024, contested the Animal Birth Control Rules of 2023 on the grounds that they contravene the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 by failing to account for stray animal assaults against disabled citizens.
The petition pointed out that India, and Delhi in particular, contends with a significant population of unsterilised and unvaccinated stray animals. It argued that management deficiencies have rendered numerous strays aggressive and liable to attack individuals, creating severe health hazards for vulnerable segments of the population, including senior citizens and disabled residents.
The submission elaborated that visually impaired individuals struggle to foresee hazards and face movement limitations that impede self-defense during stray animal encounters. Furthermore, the petition noted that while disabled citizens internationally routinely incorporate service and therapy animals into daily routines, India lacks a supportive legal infrastructure, leaving local residents at a distinct disadvantage.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 7, 2027, anticipating that the Centre will have concluded the standard operating procedure for service dogs by that time.