India’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of all stray dogs that were removed from New Delhi streets after sterilization and immunization following an increase in the number of people who were bitten by dogs.

Delhi's stray dog population is estimated at one million, with suburban Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram also seeing a rise, municipal sources say. India has millions of stray dogs and the country accounts for 36% of the total rabies-related deaths in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

In its decision on the case titled “In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price,” the court ruled that sterilized, dewormed, and vaccinated dogs should be returned to their original areas. However, it specified that dogs with rabies or those that exhibit aggressive behavior should not be released.