Supreme Court Upholds Stray Dog Removal Order Near Schools & Hospitals, Says Dog Bite Menace Rising

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to change its earlier order directing the removal of stray dogs from institutional areas such as schools, hospitals and other public facilities. It also clarified that the direction against releasing them back into those areas after vaccination/sterilisation would remain in force.

"We have given detailed consideration to applications seeking recall of our November 7 judgement (but) we have dismissed all the applications," the court said.

The top court gave this judgement on the stray dog case while dismissing all the pleas submitted. "The menace of dog bites has extended to public places of critical areas including airports and residential areas," the court noted, after referring to various news reports.

The apex court also dismissed applications challenging the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India. In the verdict pronounced today, the court referred to reports about "deeply disturbing incidents" of dog attacks against children. Young children have been mauled, elderly people attacked, and even international travellers have faced dog attacks, reported Live Law.

A bench of three judges, led by Justice Vikram Nath, delivered its verdict in the suo motu matter.

The bench emphasised that prolonged inaction by authorities had caused the problem to spiral into alarming proportions.

The Supreme Court also issued a slew of directions: States/union territories must enforce AWBI rules. States/union territories must set up at least one animal birth control centre in every district.

States/union territories must ensure adequate availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins.

Officials duty-bound to implement these directions must be protected, i.e. no police cases should ordinarily be registered against them in the performance of their duties.