In the meantime, several residents approached the Kerala High Court to deal with street dogs in their neighbourhoods, citing several instances of dog attacks on people and animals alike. One faction argued that these stray dogs need to be systematically removed and euthanized. Another faction offered that killing dogs as a means to control population is not a credible solution. They cited the World Health Organization which advocates systematic sterilization programmes and rehabilitation to people’s homes in place of mass killing.
In its judgment of 2015, the Kerala High Court took the view that human life will always take precedence over that of stray dogs and that “local authorities can exercise the power to capture and destroy the stray dogs” in accordance with the PCA Act and ABC Rules.
Equally, in 2020, the Allahabad High Court issued directions for removal of all stray dogs and cattle from the city limits ostensibly arising out of COVID-19 concerns (In-Re Inhuman Condition At Quarantine Centres And For Providing Better Treatment To Corona Positive vs. State). The Court later kept the order in abeyance in view of the pending Supreme Court case.
Source: Barandbench
