NEW DELHI: In a crucial and landmark judgment aimed at curbing the rising stray dog menace and canine attacks in the country, the Supreme Court has granted permission to the authorities to legally euthanise rabid and highly aggressive stray dogs. The apex court issued this decisive order on Tuesday while dismissing a batch of petitions seeking amendments to its previous order regarding the relocation of stray dogs.
“Subject to the Animal Birth Control Rules and other related legal protocols, the authorities can take legal measures, including euthanasia, for stray dogs that are incurably ill, rabid, or aggressive in a manner that poses a clear threat to human life and safety,” the Supreme Court ordered. A division bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice N. V. Anjaria delivered the verdict. The court observed that the presence of stray dogs in public places is currently increasing in a “staggering and alarming” manner.
The bench made it clear that the court can no longer turn a blind eye to the incidents where stray dogs brutally attack humans, especially children and the elderly, in public places.
In light of reports showing a significant increase in dog bite incidents across the country, the court refused to modify its earlier order to remove stray dogs from public places. Along with this, the Supreme Court strongly criticized the state governments that failed to properly implement the directives issued previously on the matter. The court completely dismissed the petitions filed by various NGOs and dog lovers working for the protection of stray dogs. With this, the strict guidelines issued by the Supreme Court last year will continue to be in force across the nation.
Stray dogs must be immediately removed from public places such as hospitals, parks, and railway stations and shifted to special shelters. Dogs that are taken to shelters and subjected to sterilization surgeries must under no circumstances be released back into the public places from where they were captured. Feeding stray dogs in public places, except in specifically designated areas, is completely prohibited. This new order of the Supreme Court, which highlights that the safety of human life is the top priority, will bring major relief to the stray dog crisis in states like Kerala.
(With inputs from MN)
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