Poonam Nath

SC ‘Harsh’ verdict on stray dogs changed; orders to release after sterilisation

Digital Desk: Animal lovers celebrated the Supreme Court's decision on Friday, which changed its controversial August 8 ruling on stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and ordered their return to the same location from which they were picked-up following vaccination and deworming.

But according to the top court, dogs that exhibit aggressive behavior or rabies would need to be vaccinated and housed in different shelters.

The Supreme Court declared that its August 8 ruling was "too harsh" and that "Prohibition on release of strays shall be stayed."

However, the top court suggested that it would create a national policy and broadened the case's scope throughout India.

The August 8 order, which instructed civic authorities in Delhi-NCR to collect all stray dogs within eight weeks and place them in designated shelters, was modified in a number of ways by the three-judge bench, which was made up of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria.

A "catch-22 situation" could result from a general directive to collect all street dogs and place them in shelters without assessing the current infrastructure, the three-judge bench noted while referencing the earlier order.

"Dogs cannot be fed in public. There will be designated areas for stray dogs to eat. "Anyone caught feeding dogs on the streets will face consequences," the top court declared.

The court also permitted animal lovers to submit applications for the dogs' adoption, with the disclaimer that it would be their duty to make sure the strays were not put back on the streets.