The Supreme Court on Thursday, January 29, 2026, reserved its verdict on several pleas seeking changes to earlier orders in the stray dogs case. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria heard amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwal, who outlined steps taken by states like Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The court also heard from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) about compliance with the November 7, 2025, order directing the removal of stray animals from National Highways and fencing of roads. The bench asked the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to quickly process NGO applications for animal shelters or birth control facilities, telling the AWBI counsel: "Either you accept it or reject the applications but do it expeditiously." The counsel explained that after the November 7 order, there was a surge in applications. The court asked all parties to file their written submissions as soon as possible. On January 28, 2026, the court expressed concern that states were not improving their stray dog sterilisation programs, saying, "They are all building castles in the air." The case stems from petitions asking to modify the November 7, 2025, order that directed the removal of stray animals from institutions and roads. The court had warned on January 13 that states might face "heavy compensation" for dog bite incidents and that dog feeders could be held responsible. The court noted that rules on stray animals have not been followed properly for five years. With an "alarming rise" in dog bites at places like schools, hospitals, and railway stations, the court on November 7 ordered that stray dogs be relocated to shelters after sterilisation and vaccination. It also instructed that dogs taken away should not be returned to their original places. Furthermore, all stray cattle and animals must be removed from state highways, national highways, and expressways. The case began suo motu on July 28, 2025, after a media report highlighted rabies cases among children in the national capital due to stray dog bites.