High Court seeks affidavit on dog menace

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to file an affidavit, within eight days, on the steps taken to check stray dog menace in the City.

During the hearing which went on for an hour, the counsel for the non-governmental organisations submitted that cruel methods were being adopted for tackling the menace while sterilisation could curb the problem to a large extent. “The BBMP does not have a programme. It is not clear on handling the dogs in a humane manner,” the counsel contended.

Dr Peeran, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, BBMP, told the Court that 95 per cent of the dog bites to children were due to provocation.

He attributed the increasing dog menace at Cubbon Park to some people feeding stray dogs.

“There are people who come to feed animals and we have been unable to prevent them. Those who feed animals include people like Justice Saldanha,” he said. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna directed the Palike to take steps for preventing the menace of ferocious dogs but not by adopting cruel ways.