Delhi High Court Closes Dog-Bite Cases Against "Animal Lover", Asks MCD To Urgently Take Action On Stray Dog Menace

The Delhi High Court has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to urgently take appropriate action on the “serious issue” of stray dog menace.

“…the issue of stray dog menace is a serious issue, which needs to be addressed with urgency by the concerned authority. Let a copy of this order be sent to Commissioner, MCD for taking appropriate action,” Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said.

The court passed the order while quashing two FIRs registered in 2014 against one Sarika Patel alleging that her pet had bitten a man and his father on two different occasions. The parties reached on an amicable settlement in May last year.

“The parties are neighbours living in the same vicinity. The dispute between the parties is predominantly private in nature and the parties have amicably settled all their disputes. In the interest of justice it would be better to put a quietus to the dispute,” the court said.

Sarika Patel, who claimed herself to be a philanthropist and an animal lover, submitted that she regularly feeds stray dogs and small pups living in her neighbourhood.

She also submitted that the dogs alleged to have bitten the complainants were in fact stray dogs and not her pets and that she possibly could not have any control over the stray dogs.

Her counsel also submitted that since the parties were neighbours, they want to put a quietus to the complaints in order to maintain peace and harmony in their society. It was contended that they had settled the matter and no longer had any grievance against each other.

Justice Sharma quashed the complaints and observed that the chances of conviction would be bleak, given that the parties do not wish to pursue their complaints due to the settlement.

“I do not see any reason to reject the settlement. However, the issue of stray dog menace is a serious issue, which needs to be addressed with urgency by the concerned authority,” the court said.

Title: Sarika Patel v. State 

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Del) 833