The Supreme Court’s order to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets and place them in shelters has split public opinion. As debates rage over animal welfare, comedian and actor Vir Das has a direct appeal for residents — take one home.

“If you live in Delhi, can I persuade you to adopt an indie off the streets? They’re healthy, low-maintenance, and will give you more love than you can imagine,” Vir posted on Instagram, sharing a photo of his own rescued pets. “Support your nearest animal welfare NGO. While court appeals take time, our humanity needs to act now. Big or small, it all adds up.”

Earlier in the day, a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ordered civic bodies to clear all localities of stray dogs, warning of contempt action against anyone obstructing the process. No captured dog, the court said, can be released back into public spaces.

The SC also directed the creation of well-staffed shelters, sterilisation and vaccination drives, a four-hour response helpline for dog bite complaints, and daily capture logs with CCTV monitoring to ensure compliance.

For Vir, the solution is simple — adopt, care, and don’t wait for the system to catch up.