SC for elimination of stray dogs under rule

Fiza Shah, President of the IDA (In defense of Animals), who was one of the petitioners, said, “The fear that corporations will kill dogs indiscriminately in the name of nuisance is now gone”.

The Act required municipal corporations to provide sufficient number of dog pounds, including animal kennels, shelters managed by animal welfare organisations, besides providing dog vans with ramps for their capture and transportation for purposes of sterilisation and immunisation and incinerators for disposal of carcasses.

Holding that there was a need to strike balance between empathy for stray dogs and safety of humans, the Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted municipal bodies to kill irretrievably ill and wounded stray dogs suffering from rabies, in accordance with the laws.

“(The) life of a dog is not more important than the life of a human being.

The apex court had reportedly considered several petitions, including one challenging the Kerala High Court’s orders directing killing of stray dogs.

The SC has put two laws into consideration – Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2001, to deliver its order. It also issued an order that no High Court should entertain any matter pertaining to the dogs. As stated earlier, we will advert to the same at a later stage, but for the present it is suffice to say that all the State municipal corporations, municipal committees, district boards and local bodies shall be guided by the Act and the Rules and it is the duty and obligation of the Animal Welfare Board to see that they are followed with all seriousness.

“We are disposed to think for the present that a balance between compassion to dogs and the lives of human beings, which is called a glorious gift of nature, may harmoniously co-exist”, the court said, giving the go-ahead to the killing of stray dogs that have become a menace to people.

One of the pleas is against Kerala High Court’s clearance for the culling of stray dogs by the Thiruvananthapuram civic body. The court allowed both sides to file separate affidavits indicating number of dog bites as also steps taken by municipalities to remove or destruct unwanted or rabid canines.

The court has asked chief secretaries of states and UTs to provide data on cases of dog bites and “removal” of stray dogs as prescribed under rules.

Read the completed order here.