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.

In its order, the Supreme Court directed authorities to begin by creating dog shelters for 5,000 strays in the next six-eight weeks. The court said the exercise of rounding up the dogs, and the creation of shelters "shall be undertaken simultaneously".