In cities across the country, the feral animals are both loved and feared. The judges are forging into intensely emotional territory by going after the ones in the capital.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday said it would consider directing the Tamil Nadu government to implement in the state the Supreme Court's order on managing street dogs in Delhi.

India’s top court has ordered authorities in New Delhi to start removing all stray dogs from its streets and to sterilize and relocate them to shelters permanently.