'For Every Dog-Bite, We Are Likely To...': Supreme Court In Big Remark On Stray Dogs Case

Stray Dogs Case: The Supreme Court on Tuesday warned that for every dog bite, death, or injury caused to any children or the elderly, they will likely fix compensation on the state for “not doing anything”.

According to Justice Vikram Nath, those who say they are feeding dogs will also be held accountable. “Do it, take them to your house. Why should dogs be littering around, biting, scaring people?” he questioned during the hearing of the stray dogs case.

The remarks of the Bench came after advocate Menaka Guruswamy called the stray dogs issue an “emotional matter”.

“Emotions so far seem to be only for dogs,” the bench told her. To this, Guruswamy responded, “That’s not the case. I am equally concerned about humans.”

The development came after Supreme

Court, on November 7 last year, ordered the removal of stray dogs from educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, sports complexes, and railway stations, directing that the canines be sent to designated dog shelters.

The bench also directed the authorities to prevent the dogs from entering the premises of government and public institutions. It was also added that the dogs would not have been released back to the same place where they were picked up.

The Stray Dogs Case

In July last year, the Supreme Court, in its verdict, stated that all stray dogs in Delhi and adjoining regions must be shifted away from residential localities to shelters. The top court’s order came amid the rising cases of dog bites leading to rabies deaths.

According to the court, the dog shelters must have professionals who can tackle dogs, carry out sterilisation and immunisation, and not let the canines out.

In another hearing, it had directed that the animals would be released back into the same area after sterilisation and immunisation. However, the three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria had made it clear that the relocation would not apply to dogs infected with rabies or suspected to be infected with rabies and those displaying aggressive behaviour.