Supreme Court orders relocation of stray dogs from institutions to shelters
New Delhi, Nov 7: Expressing concern over the increasing number of dog bite incidents in institutions such as schools, colleges, and…
New Delhi, Nov 7: Expressing concern over the increasing number of dog bite incidents in institutions such as schools, colleges, and hospitals, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered that all stray dogs found within these premises be relocated to designated shelters.
The court made it clear that once removed, such animals must not be released back into the same locations.
A special three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria issued comprehensive directions while hearing a suo motu case that originated from a July 28 media report on rabies deaths caused by stray dog bites, particularly among children in the national capital. The scope of the case has since been widened to cover all states and Union territories.
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In its order, the bench instructed both government and private authorities to ensure that no stray dogs enter institutional areas.
It further directed civic bodies and other agencies, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), to jointly identify stretches of highways where stray cattle and dogs are commonly found and take immediate action to move them to authorized shelters.
The court described the rise in such incidents as “alarming” and emphasised that strict preventive measures were needed to protect public safety in institutional and public areas. The matter has been scheduled for the next hearing on January 13.
Earlier, on November 3, the Supreme Court had observed that it would issue interim directions to curb the “grave menace” of dog bites, particularly in institutions where employees were seen feeding or encouraging stray animals.
