New Delhi: For the first time since its inception in 2023, an annual meeting of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board (DAWB) was attended by a minister of the Delhi government. The meeting, chaired by Development Minister Kapil Mishra, was held at the Secretariat last week, and it came weeks after the Supreme Court modified its contentious directive on stray dogs.
Several key proposals were approved, including structural reforms to public awareness campaigns, while others were rejected. For example, the transfer of funds lying in the account of the State Advisory Board for Animal Welfare—the tenure of which ended in 2020—to the DAWB was approved, along with a nod for dedicated staff for the execution of the latter’s duties.
Meanwhile, proposals to form separate committees for approving pet shops, dog breeding establishments, and empanelment of Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs) with the DAWB, were rejected.
Awareness initiatives such as compassion programmes for schools and ‘Be kind to animals’ stickers on all public vehicles, were endorsed. According to Mishra, an awareness programme on rabies will also soon be initiated. The issue of stray dogs roaming in schools and hospitals was also taken up, while the institution of an ‘Animal Welfare Award’ was cleared to recognise contributions within the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
The board also decided to implement the ‘1962’ helpline for veterinary assistance for stray animals in Delhi and track its progress.
At the meeting, a request by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to present a detailed proposal on the microchipping of stray dogs in Delhi, was also discussed. However, questions regarding its execution remained, given the city’s approximately 10 lakh stray dog population. Mishra told IANS that all stray dogs in Delhi will be microchipped in the next two years, adding that no ministers had been attending the previous meetings of the DAWB.
“During the previous government’s time, the ‘Animal Welfare Board’ had not held a meeting for many years; today, a meeting was held at the Delhi Secretariat regarding all the demands of the board. All problems related to animals in Delhi will be resolved soon…,” he wrote on X.
Since its establishment in 2023, the DAWB has convened two meetings, both of which failed to make substantial progress, said Dr Asher Jesudoss, executive committee member of the DAWB, who attended the meeting. Wednesday’s discussions marked the first time the board deliberated extensively under the chairmanship of the minister, he added.
Interestingly, no Delhi government website carries information on the DAWB. Only a gazette notification of 18 April 2023 mentions its roles and responsibilities.
“For the first time, it felt like the board was seriously committed to doing something. In earlier meetings, either no agenda points were discussed, or no action was taken, and even the minister did not attend. This time, under the minister’s chairmanship, many points were taken up, and it gave us confidence that the board is finally serious about animal welfare,” Jesudoss told ThePrint.
During the meeting, Mishra emphasised the need for a stray dog census for the implementation of proposed measures by the UNDP and the Supreme Court’s 22 August order.
The meeting was attended by board members, members of the executive committee, representatives of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), advisers, representatives of animal welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs), chief veterinary officers of the Animal Husbandry Department, and senior officials from the Delhi government. Representatives from the Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), gaushalas, and other organisations were also present.
ThePrint reached Director (Animal Husbandry) Dr Satyavir Singh from Delhi’s Animal Husbandry Development Department via calls and messages for comment on whether any measures have been taken following the Supreme Court’s stray dogs verdict.
ThePrint also reached Dr Manilal Valliyate, a member of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and Prachi Jain, assistant secretary, AWBI, for comment via calls and messages. This report will be updated if and when their responses are received.
Animal welfare advocate Gauri Maulekhi, who also attended the meeting, wrote on X: “The first ever constructive, solution-oriented meeting of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board brought renewed hope for animals.”
The first ever constructive, solution-oriented meeting of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board brought renewed hope for animals. 🌱
What was different:
1️⃣ Detailed, meaningful discussions – not a perfunctory exercise.
2️⃣ Chaired by the Hon’ble Minister Development himself.
— Gauri Maulekhi (@gauri_maulekhi) September 10, 2025
Agenda and key decisions
According to the 2023 gazette notification, the Delhi Animal Welfare Board (DAWB) was constituted to address animal welfare issues at the state level as mandated in rules framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The board, it adds, will act as a governing body to provide financial and technical assistance to organisations involved in animal welfare.
The development minister, the gazette notification says, will be the ex-officio chair of this board, while the principal secretary (home), Delhi government, and principal secretary (finance), will be ex-officio members.
The agenda for the DAWB’s annual meeting is set by a member secretary, in this case, Dr Satyavir Singh. Proposals are presented one by one to the chairperson. The minister then opens them up for discussion with the board. If an objection is raised and the minister finds it valid, they may strike it down or try to reach a consensus.
On Wednesday, the meeting approved the transfer of funds from the Delhi Advisory Board for Animal Welfare to the DAWB. As of June 2025, the advisory board’s account held Rs 34,55,296.75, while the DAWB’s newly opened account had Rs 1,95,059 in August 2025, ThePrint has learnt.
The DAWB endorsed several new awareness initiatives, including continuing school-level compassion programmes run in association with the Directorate of Education through the Aloha Ahimsa Foundation, supporting conferences and training sessions.
Additionally, the DAWB also wrote to the MCD to collaborate on public awareness campaigns, such as wall art and announcements about the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, which lay out the guidelines for sterilisation programmes.
The board also issued an advisory to the MCD and schools across the city to prevent animal cruelty and address law-and-order concerns at feeding points across the NCR.
On a proposal for the formation of a standing committee, the board clarified that the framing of rules falls under the mandate of the central government as per Rule 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Recruitment of staff for the DAWB was also approved. For the first two years, the board was operating with no dedicated staff, having several functions to perform such as issuing advisories, managing social media, creating and maintaining a website, handling complaints and registrations, maintaining databases, and providing logistical support. To carry out these tasks, a member said, they need drivers, cleaners, enforcement staff, computer operators, doctors, and other essential personnel.
It was also decided that, in line with the University Grants Commission (UGC) mandate, ‘Animal Welfare Societies’ will be created across higher education institutions.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)