Stray Dog Menace: Telangana HC Issues Directions To Committee For Monitoring Implementation Of Animal Birth Control Rules, Stresses On Rehabilitation

The High Court of Telangana, led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao recently addressed the ongoing issue of stray dogs in Hyderabad. The court was hearing two Public Interest Litigations (PILs), including a suo motu case initiated based on a news report about stray dogs attacking children and elderly residents in the state.

The court had previously directed the State Government to constitute a committee for implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. In response, the government formed the State Animal Birth Control Implementation and Monitoring Committee through a government order dated July 16, 2024.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) submitted a report outlining various measures taken to address the stray dog problem. These measures include conducting awareness programs, training municipal staff, and ensuring pet dog registrations. The GHMC is also working on developing a mobile application to monitor real-time data on dog catching, sterilizations, and vaccinations.

The court emphasized the importance of complying with the ABC Rules, 2023. It directed the GHMC to file an affidavit stating compliance with specific rules, including those related to establishing Animal Birth Control Centers and helplines for dog-related complaints. The court also asked the GHMC to explore the feasibility of setting up rehabilitation centres for dogs outside Hyderabad's municipal limits.

Furthermore, the court clarified that while the ABC Rules mandate releasing sterilized and immunized dogs in the same area where they were caught, this does not apply to dogs captured for rehabilitation purposes.

“Rule 11(3) of the ABC Rules provides that if the street dogs are captured for the purposes of sterilisation and immunisation, they shall be released in the same area after sterilisation and immunisation. Thus, it is evident that Rule 11 of the ABC Rules mandates that if a dog has been captured only for the purposes of sterilisation and immunisation, in such a case only it needs to be released in the same area. In other words, in case a street dog has been captured for the purposes of rehabilitation, it need not be released in the same area. On similar analogy, the mandate contained in Rule 11(19) of the ABC Rules insofar as it provides to release the dog in the same area after immunisation, does not apply if the dog is captured for the purposes of rehabilitation.”

The GHMC's report detailed several initiatives, including instructions for crèche facilities in large establishments, training programs for municipal staff, awareness campaigns in schools and communities, and efforts to identify feeding spots for stray dogs away from public places. The corporation is also considering establishing a dog shelter for rehabilitation and ensuring 24/7 availability of dog-catching vehicles.

The court has requested the GHMC to provide updates on the implementation of its statutory obligations under the ABC Rules and the status of actions proposed in its report. The case is scheduled for the next hearing on September 2, 2024.

SUOMOTU W.P (PIL).No.3 of 2023 and W.P (PIL).No.93 of 2022

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