India's top court ordered authorities in the capital Delhi and its suburbs on Monday to relocate all stray dogs to shelters within eight weeks, according to the Live Law website, after media reports of a rise in cases of rabies,

In cities across the country, the feral animals are both loved and feared. The judges are forging into intensely emotional territory by going after the ones in the capital.

A comprehensive stray dog census, involving RWAs, municipal bodies, and animal feeders, is vital for an accurate assessment and targeted interventions.