India, Nov. 9 -- The dilemma on humane ways to deal with stray animals in Delhi is not a recent one, with the city's British administrators having to deal with the same issue.

Even then, they debated ways to deal with the problem, with some officials suggesting "most painless" ways to kill the animals. Fast forward eight decades, and the country's top court is grappling with the same issue.

On Friday, it took note of the "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas and directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination.

Records from 1946-47 preserved in the Delhi Archives reveal that even then, officials discussed "humane" ways to control the stray dog p...