New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the complete removal of stray dogs from near educational institutions, bus and railway stations, sports facilities, as well as other public spaces, directing that they be relocated to dog shelters. The top court has instructed all states and union territories to identify public and private educational institutions and sports complexes within their jurisdiction, while District Magistrates (DMs) have been asked to ensure that all schools, colleges, hospitals, sports facilities, and government institutions are properly fenced to prevent stray dogs from entering.
Any stray dogs found in such locations, including bus stands, must be removed and relocated to shelters; they are not to be returned to the same spot from which they were captured. The court said that permitting their return would “frustrate the very purpose” of securing such premises and addressing public safety concerns. A bench of justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria, which is monitoring stray dog-bite incidents through a suo motu proceeding, ordered that all stray dogs currently in these premises must be captured, sterilised and vaccinated.
The bench also directed all states and UTs to, within two weeks, identify government and private schools, colleges, medical institutions, public transport hubs and sports facilities, and within eight weeks, ensure these areas are secured, preferably through boundary walls, to prevent the entry of stray dogs. Further, the court directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other road-owning agencies to remove stray cattle and animals from national and state highways and ensure they are housed in shelters.
Suggestions placed before the court by senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who is assisting the bench as amicus curiae, will be incorporated in the order. Further, the court directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other road-owning agencies to remove stray cattle and animals from national and state highways and ensure they are housed in shelters. Suggestions placed before the court by senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who is assisting the bench as amicus curiae, will be incorporated in the order.
On October 31, the bench had refused requests from multiple states seeking exemption from the physical presence of their chief secretaries, stating that authorities had been “sleeping over” the court’s directives. “There is no respect for the court’s orders. Let them come and explain,” the bench had said. In August, the bench had modified an earlier direction by a two-judge bench to permit release of sterilised dogs back to their localities in accordance with the ABC Rules, except in cases involving rabid or aggressive animals.
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