SC upholds stray dog relocation order, cites public safety

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed all petitions and applications seeking modification or recall of its earlier directions on relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs, saying the right to live with dignity includes the right to live freely without threat from dogs.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria also dismissed pleas challenging the validity of the standard operating procedures issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India for dealing with stray animals.

The court issued several directions to States, Union Territories and statutory bodies to strengthen infrastructure to address the stray dog issue.

The bench observed that there had been a “discernible absence” of sustained and incremental efforts by States and UTs to build infrastructure to deal with the growing stray dog population.

It said implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) framework remained sporadic, underfunded and uneven across different jurisdictions.

“The right to live with dignity encompasses the right to live freely without threat of harm from dog bites,” the bench said.

The court added that it could not remain oblivious to ground realities where children, elderly people and international travellers had become victims of dog bite incidents.

It directed States and Union Territories to ensure coordinated efforts to augment infrastructure to tackle the stray dog menace.

On January 29, the apex court had reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions seeking modification of its November 7 order on relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs.

During the hearing, the court had expressed unhappiness over the efforts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in complying with its earlier directions.

Taking note of the “alarming rise” in dog-bite incidents in institutional areas such as educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, the Supreme Court on November 7 last year directed authorities to relocate stray dogs to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination.

The court had also said stray dogs picked up should not be released back to their original locations.

It further directed authorities to remove cattle and other stray animals from state highways, national highways and expressways.

The Supreme Court is hearing a suo motu case initiated on July 28 last year following a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital.