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.

India's top court has ordered authorities to remove all stray dogs from the streets and place them in permanent shelters, sparking an uproar from animal-rights groups over the feasibility of a decision some say was made in anger.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria will now hear the suo motu proceedings initiated over the issue of stray dogs Thursday.