New Delhi, Nov 8: The Supreme Court has ordered the immediate relocation of stray dogs to designated shelters following a concerning rise in dog bite incidents at public places such as educational institutions, hospitals, and railway stations. This directive comes from a three-judge special bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria, who emphasized that any captured stray dogs must not be returned to their original locations.
The bench also mandated the removal of all stray cattle and other animals from state highways, national highways, and expressways. They highlighted that the repeated occurrences of dog bites in institutional areas reveal not only administrative negligence but also a systemic failure in protecting these spaces from avoidable dangers.
In their ruling, the bench stated that immediate judicial intervention is essential to ensure the fundamental right to life and safety of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups like children, patients, and athletes, as protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. They provided multiple directives aimed at addressing the stray dog issue, aiming to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens while adhering to the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, outlined under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
The court pointed out that despite significant progress in public health since independence, India still reports some of the highest rabies-related death rates globally. Scientific studies, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), indicate that a large proportion of annual animal-related fatalities in India are due to rabies, with over 90% of human cases resulting from bites by domestic or stray dogs.
The vulnerable sections of society, especially children, the elderly, and economically disadvantaged groups, bear the heavy toll of this issue, often lacking timely access to post-exposure treatment. The bench expressed serious concern over the increasing frequency of accidents caused by cattle and other stray animals on public roads.
Reaffirming directives from an August 11 ruling by the Rajasthan High Court, the Supreme Court instructed municipal authorities, the road and transport departments, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure the removal of stray animals from highways. The court called for a coordinated effort to identify and eliminate stretches of highways and expressways frequented by stray animals, taking immediate steps for their relocation to appropriate shelters.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/national/sc-orders-relocation-of-stray-dogs-from-schools-hospitals-railway-stations-to-shelters-1597304
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Publish Date: 2025-11-08 16:46:00
