Big update: Supreme Court’s decision on stray dogs
The situation surrounding stray dogs is not new in India; issues relating to public safety or animal welfare are often contentious and the latest recommendations on addressing street dogs usually leave many disagreeing with one another. The Supreme Court of India passed a new ruling titled the SC stray dogs order in the end of April 2023. This order sought a balance between public safety of citizens, and animal care, particularly street dogs. This order has been a point of interest across the country as it provides new guidelines for street dogs on how they should be managed, protected and regulated.
In this blog, we will break down the SC stray dogs order, the background of the case, the stray dogs SC verdict, and how it connects with the new high court decision on street dogs. The analysis will also include a table summarizing key points for better understanding.
High-Lights of the SC Stray Dogs order
The SC stray dogs order provided a list of key guidelines for feeding, vaccination, and sterilization and it manifests responsibility, accountability and compassion.
Regulated Feeding Zones
The Court decided that feeding of stray dogs should take place solely in designated feeding areas identified by Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and the local authorities.
Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programs
Municipal authorities have to step up sterilisation and vaccination programmes to address the stray dog population and rabies.
Liability of Feeders
People who feed stray dogs also have the duty to take care of the animals, including caring for the vaccinations and ensuring they are not a danger to other people.
No Cruelty
The stray dogs SC judgment makes it clear that there should be no harm or cruelty to stray dogs, as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.People who feed stray dogs also have the duty to take care of the animals, including caring for the vaccinations and ensuring they are not a danger to other people.
Coordination of Civic Authorities
Cooperation and collaboration must come from local authorities, state governments, and RWAs to give the order, and its practicalities, the chance to work.
The New High Court Decision on Street Dogs
Along with the Supreme Court’s decision, High Courts throughout the nation have been involved in verminous decisions about street dogs. For example, the Rajasthan High Court had previously ordered street dogs to be removed from the streets and soon a flood of cases followed. With the Supreme Court as the decision-maker, it has now made a consistent decision and there will be consistency across the nation for similar cases.
Differentiate between: Old Updates and New Updates:
Old updates:
As per the old updates of the court, it was said that sc stray dogs order would be caught and kept in a shelter home.
New updates:
The New Updates concerning street dogs are that the Supreme Court has recently passed a judgment that, except for the violent and sick dogs, all the sc stray dogs order should be released from the shelter home to the location where they were picked up. The judgment is in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which provide for sterilisation, vaccination, and return of dogs to their respective habitat. The Supreme Court has also mentioned that feeding dogs at public places is not correct and emphasised the need to make a law regarding this.
Public Reaction
The SC stray dog order has produced mixed results, with proponents and detractors emerging from various groups. Animal rights activists have generally heralded the decision, seeing it as a way of providing more humane treatment of stray animals. Maneka Gandhi, an animal rights activist, have simply put the ruling as a “scientific judgement” and put the ball back in the court of the Supreme Court by asserting “For example, the Supreme Court lays down principles of what aggression is in dogs, then the big jump is to make a patently arbitrary decision not based on a defined term.
