Hyderabad: The Coalition of Telangana Animal Welfare Organisations has condemned the systematic and illegal culling of stray dogs across Telangana, citing violations of court orders and deep administrative failure, and urging immediate government intervention in light of widespread killings and documented cases of extreme cruelty.
According to field reports compiled by member organisations, the Coalition has recorded the killing of approximately 500 stray dogs in the first weeks of January 2026, along with over 10 cases of severe cruelty in recent weeks, including dogs being beaten with rods, poisoned in public spaces, and mutilated. The most severe incidents have been reported from Kamareddy and Hanamkonda districts, where local panchayat officials have ordered mass killings of stray dogs, reportedly following promises made during recent Gram Panchayat elections. The Coalition stated that this violence is not the result of animal behaviour, but of human negligence and prolonged administrative failure.
In Hyderabad, the Coalition has flagged ongoing “dog removal drives” by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) that contravene the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. Dogs are being captured indiscriminately without adequate veterinary infrastructure, and credible reports indicate that animals taken to ABC facilities are not being sterilised and released as mandated by law.
These actions are occurring despite a stay granted by the Telangana High Court, where Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy explicitly directed authorities not to capture sterilised dogs while the matter remains under hearing. Dog catching has continued across several public institutions, including medical colleges and university campuses. Advocate Sree Ramya, appearing in the case, has stated that such actions amount to apparent contempt of court.
The Coalition also pointed to a recent Supreme Court observation on January 13, which reiterated that municipal authorities cannot evade their statutory responsibility for humane and scientific animal population management. “The conflict on our streets today is not a failure of animals, but the result of decades of institutional neglect,” the Coalition said, citing defunct ABC centres, lack of audits, and misuse of public funds through unverified or “ghost” sterilisation surgeries.
Addressing public concern, the Coalition acknowledged the real fear faced by families, particularly at construction sites and in dense residential colonies, stressing that human safety and animal welfare are not competing priorities. “When a child is hurt, it is a failure of the system. Killing dogs does not create safety, functioning governance does,” the statement said, calling for mandatory creches at labour sites, stable dog populations through vaccination and sterilisation, and strict enforcement of waste management norms.