On Thursday, the Supreme Court noted that fear in humans can provoke dog attacks, as it continued to monitor nationwide failures in controlling dog bite incidents. Hearing a suo motu case on public safety concerns arising from strays, the Court underscored the urgency of effective implementation of existing animal control rules, signalling that administrative inaction can no longer be ignored.
The case stems from a sharp rise in dog bite incidents across India, which has repeatedly drawn the Court’s attention to lapses by municipal bodies and State authorities. While earlier directions had oscillated between sheltering dogs and releasing vaccinated, sterilised animals under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) framework, the present proceedings revealed deep divisions.
Senior advocates highlighted competing concerns, public safety on one hand, and animal welfare, disease control, and ecological balance on the other, arguing over issues such as inadequate ABC centres, lack of trained manpower, absence of shelters, and the risks of abrupt removal of dogs from their territories.
The bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N.V. Anjaria combined candour with concern, remarking from experience that, “If they know you are scared, there is a higher chance they will attack you. Even your pet will do it.” While acknowledging the need for humane solutions, the Court was critical of poor enforcement of existing rules, particularly by local bodies.
It reiterated that directions on vaccination, sterilisation, fencing of sensitive institutions, and removal of strays from highways remain binding, as arguments in the matter continue.
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