In a significant development concerning the management of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court has directed individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) opposing the order of permanent relocation of strays to deposit costs before their pleas can be entertained.
A special three-judge Bench, led by Justice Vikram Nath and comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N.V. Anjaria, ruled that individual petitioners must deposit ₹25,000 each, while NGOs are required to furnish ₹2 lakh each within seven days. The Court clarified that failure to comply would disentitle them from further participation in the proceedings. The deposited sums, it added, would be utilised by municipal authorities to enhance infrastructure and facilities for stray dog management.
The matter stems from a suo motu case initiated by the Court on July 28, following widespread reports of stray dog attacks leading to rabies cases, particularly among children in the capital region. Several animal welfare organisations and individual dog lovers had sought a stay on certain directions issued by a two-judge Bench on August 11.
The Court further held that any person desirous of adopting a stray may approach the concerned municipal body. Upon adoption, the identified canine would be tagged and handed over, with the responsibility cast on the adopter to ensure the animal does not return to the streets.
Significantly, the Bench modified its earlier direction prohibiting the release of stray dogs from shelters. It ordered that captured dogs should be sterilised, vaccinated, and subsequently released back into the same locality, while maintaining its mandate that municipal corporations must continue capturing strays across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gurugram.
The Court also kept in abeyance the August 11 prohibition on releasing picked-up strays, pending further consideration.
The earlier order had triggered widespread protests nationwide, with critics raising concerns over the blanket prohibition on releasing sterilised and vaccinated strays. The present clarification seeks to balance public health concerns with animal welfare considerations.
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