New Delhi, Aug 22: The Supreme Court on Friday modified its August 11 order on management of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, ruling that sterilised and immunised dogs must be released back into the same locality, except those infected with rabies or exhibiting aggressive behaviour.
The three-judge special bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria also barred public feeding of stray dogs, directing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to establish designated feeding areas in municipal wards.
The Court expanded the scope of proceedings, issuing notices to Secretaries of Animal Husbandry departments of all states and UTs for suggestions on framing a national policy to tackle the stray dog menace. It also ordered transfer of similar pending matters from High Courts to itself.
Petitioner and lawyer Nanita Sharma welcomed the decision, calling it a “balanced order” that balances public safety with animal welfare.
The order came after widespread protests against the apex court’s August 11 directive to relocate stray dogs from streets to shelters, which animal rights groups opposed.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing after eight weeks.
