TIA NEWS
The Supreme Court has asked authorities to sterilise and vaccinate nuisance-causing stray dogs in a bid to control dogs’ population and the spread of rabies. A two-Judge bench of apex court yesterday also ordered the state governments and civic bodies to file within six weeks, their reports on compliance with provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. During hearing on a batch of petitions over the issue, the court’s amicus curiae, advocate Dushyant Dave said, the things need to be balanced as there are instances of deaths due to dog bites.
The Court observed, there has to be compassion for dogs and they should not be killed in an indiscriminate manner, but the lives of the human beings are to be saved and one should not suffer due to dog bite because of administrative lapse. The apex court is hearing a batch of appeals against the decisions of some High courts allowing authorities to kill the stray dogs in order to deal with their menace. The bench has fixed 12th July for final hearing in the case.