JOIN USThe High Court on Monday ordered hand summons to be issued to Animal Welfare Board of India in connection with a petition by a 14-year-old girl in connection with the mass killing of stray dogs in Mandya district in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001.
Hearing a petition filed by Deeksha Amrutesh, student and animal rights activist, the division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri ordered the summons.
The petitioner contended that a work order was issued by the Mandya City Municipal Council (CMC) to contractor Somu from K R Nagar to cull stray dogs in Mandya town.
She contended that over 700 stray dogs were culled and many were buried alive near Kalenahalli in November this year. The petitioner said that the president of the Mandya CMC had given a statement and the CMC passed a resolution, about the operation to catch stray dogs and shifting them to the nearby forest.
The petitioner has sought directions, calling for all the records from the Commissioner of the Mandya CMC with regard to catching stray dogs, and has also sought a departmental inquiry. The petitioner wants court directions to stop the exercise of catching stray dogs and killing them mercilessly.