The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the municipal authorities to show “compassion” towards stray dogs to avoid their indiscriminate killings but ensure that human beings do not have to suffer due to dog bites.
Noting that the canine is a “glorious gift of nature”, the court stressed on the need for harmonious co-existence of dogs with human beings.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh directed the Animal Welfare of Boards of all states to ensure that the rules framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act were followed to eliminate disease-afflicted stray dogs.
Going through the rules, the bench said, “We find the local authorities have a sacrosanct duty to provide sufficient number of dog pounds, including animal kennels/shelters, which may be managed by the animal welfare organisations.”
The court also said it is also incumbent upon the local authorities to provide requisite number of dog vans with ramps for the capture and transportation of street dogs; one driver and two trained dog catchers for each dog van; an ambulance-cum-clinical van as mobile centre for sterilisation and immunisation; incinerators for disposal of carcasses and periodic repair of shelter or pound.
Dealing with a PIL by advocate Anupam Tripathi to stop culling of stray dogs undertaken by the Thiruvananthapuram civic body, the bench ordered that no innovative method or subterfuge should be adopted not to carry out the responsibility under the 1960 Act or the 2001 Rules. Any kind of laxity while carrying out statutory obligations, is not countenanced in law, it said.
The court also directed for sending its order to all states’ chief secretary for compliance.