November 27, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to set up dedicated community feeding spots for stray dogs and cats across the city, following recent directions from the Supreme Court. The civic body’s veterinary health department has urged all community animal feeders to officially register themselves, as the designated feeding zones will soon be marked with signboards and monitored ward-wise.
These measures are part of the Supreme Court’s November 7 directive instructing all states and Union Territories to remove stray dogs from institutional and public premises, create fixed feeding zones, and set up municipal helplines to report violations in urban local body areas. “The idea is to ensure that the feeding of stray dogs and cats is not carried out at random places,” a civic official said. He added that establishing designated feeding points would also help ensure that registered feeders “do not face any harassment.”
According to officials, the feeding zones will be finalised after consultations with animal feeders and NGOs, taking into account existing rules and guidelines. Each ward will form a committee responsible for identifying and allotting these spots. “In certain cases, the location of a community feeding spot that is already in existence may be shifted to a nearby location, if it violates the guidelines,” the official said. Mumbai currently has around 2,000 registered animal feeders, he noted.
The state government has instructed all civic bodies to comply with the Supreme Court’s order, and Mumbai has begun implementing several steps. “Ward officers and departments are writing to institutions, directing them to secure and fence their premises,” the official said. Institutions will also be required to appoint a nodal officer, with their name and contact number displayed prominently at the entrance, ensuring accountability and smoother coordination as the new feeding-spot system is rolled out.
