Supreme Court takes stern action on stray dog menace, orders Chief Secretaries of all states to appear in person

NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the Supreme Court has directed the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories- except West Bengal and Telangana- to appear in person before the court on November 3 in connection with the stray dog menace.

The Supreme Court had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of a news report published in the Times of India, titled 'City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price'. The previous order issued by the court regarding stray dogs in Delhi had sparked widespread protests, including from animal welfare groups. Following the backlash, the court had later modified its directions related to the capture of stray dogs.

Justice Vikram Nath observed that the continuing incidents of stray dog attacks are tarnishing India's image before the international community. The bench also noted that only West Bengal. Telangana and the Delhi Municipal Corporation had submitted affidavits- and even those were not properly recorded. The court ordered that the Chief Secretaries of all other states and Union Territories that failed to comply must appear in person on the next Monday. It also warned that non-compliance could lead to penalties and further legal action.

Earlier, on August 22, the court had directed all states and Union Territories to submit affidavits detailing the steps taken under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules. However, many states, including Kerala, failed to submit the required documents or even send representatives to the court. This prompted a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan to take up the matter suo moto on July 28.

Previously, on August 11, the court had issued an order allowing vaccinated stray dogs to be relocated, but the decision was stayed on August 22 by a bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath, who said that such a move was too harsh. The court clarified that sterilised and vaccinated stray dogs must be released back into the same area they were captured from, except for those suffering from rabies, suspected illness, or displaying aggressive behaviour. It also prohibited feeding stray dogs in public places and instructed authorities to designate specific areas for feeding.