New Delhi: In a major ruling with wide-ranging implications, the Supreme Court on Tuesday permitted authorities to euthanise rabid and aggressive stray dogs in accordance with existing laws and protocols.
The direction came while the apex court was hearing a batch of petitions seeking changes to its earlier order regarding the relocation of stray dogs.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria said authorities could take legally permissible steps, including euthanasia, in cases involving incurably ill, rabid or demonstrably dangerous dogs to address threats to human life and public safety.
While dismissing the petitions, the court described the growing presence of stray dogs in public places as “alarming” and said incidents of dog attacks, especially involving children, could not be ignored.
Referring to the increasing number of dog bite cases, particularly affecting children and elderly people, the court declined to modify its previous directions on removing stray dogs from public areas.
The Supreme Court also pulled up State governments for failing to properly implement earlier orders.
Last year, the apex court directed authorities to remove stray dogs from public spaces such as hospitals, parks and railway stations and shift them to shelters. It had also ruled that sterilised dogs should not be released back into the same localities from where they were picked up. Feeding stray dogs in public spaces was also prohibited, except in designated feeding zones.
Several NGOs and animal welfare activists had moved the court seeking modifications to the earlier order.
