The Court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that sought appropriate action to regulate the life and movement of street dogs and to implement the Animal Welfare Board of India’s (AWBI) Guidelines on Pet and Street/Stray Dogs which were framed in 2015.
The Court had previously sought a response from the State government on October 5 regarding the guidelines on feeding street dogs.
In response, the State government submitted an affidavit attaching guidelines formulated by the Karnataka Animal Welfare Board in December 2022. Among other things, these guidelines address the issue of feeding stray dogs.
The Court expressed concerns about the impact of feeding stray dogs in public places. It quoted one of the guidelines and stated that residents of an area are responsible for ensuring the sterilization and regular vaccination of street dogs by the local authority.
The guidelines also outlined a dispute resolution process, allowing individuals with grievances about people feeding dogs to engage in dialogue through the Animal Welfare Committee.
If issues persist, the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) may escalate the matter to the District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) which will ensure a prompt resolution, the Court clarified.
In light of the importance of public awareness, the Court concluded that unless these guidelines receive wide publicity, their purpose would be defeated.
Consequently, the Court directed the government to undertake measures for the extensive publicization of the guidelines.
Source: Barandbench
