TAKING NOTE OF what it termed an “alarming rise in dog bite incidents” across the country, the Supreme Court on Friday directed all States and Union Territories to ensure that stray dogs are removed from the premises of hospitals, educational institutions, sports complexes, bus terminals, and railway stations.
A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria said such premises must be properly fenced and secured to prevent the entry of stray dogs. The Court made it clear that the dogs once picked up must not be released back into the same area.
They will not be released back in the same area since releasing them back will “frustrate the very purpose” of securing such premises and addressing public safety concerns.
The Court further held that it would be the duty of local authorities to identify, capture, and relocate stray dogs from these institutions/areas to authorised shelters after vaccination and sterilisation, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules.
Directing strict compliance, the Bench said the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories would be personally accountable for enforcing the order. Each such premises, it said, must also have a designated nodal officer responsible for supervision and upkeep, while municipal bodies and panchayats must conduct regular inspections over the next three months and submit their findings to the Court.
