Uttarakhand High Court Orders Removal Of Aggressive Stray Dogs Across State Through Municipalities

The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the Municipalities across the state to identify and remove the aggressive stray dogs within the areas under their control and place them in the dog pound.

The Bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Ramesh Chandra Khulbe issued this order while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Plea filed in the year 2017 by Nainital-based Girish Chandra Kholia.

The PIL had highlighted the issue of increasing dog menace in the state referring to over 11,000 dog bite cases that were reported in the state. It may be noted that in this very case, the High Court had, in 2018, directed the state government to ensure within 6 months that there are no stray dogs on the roads across the state.

Now, last week, the Court directed the Nagarpalika, Nainital to survey the stray dogs within the town and to identify and remove only the aggressive dogs within the pack and remove them and place them in the dog pound.

The Court further said that since dogs are territorial in character, it would not be advisable to remove all of them and place them in a dog pound, however, the Court added, the aggressive one certainly needs to be removed so as to safeguard the interests of local people and the persons, who go on streets.

"In our view, a balance has to be struck between the rights of the stray dogs on the one hand and human beings on the other hand and the life and liberty of the human beings cannot be sacrificed while preserving the rights of the stray dogs in the area," the Court further stressed.

Additionally, the Municipality was asked to file an affidavit of the Executive Officer disclosing what steps have been taken to sterilize the stray dogs and further, to report compliance with the directions issued by the Court.

The Court specifically observed in its order that the directions issued by it shall be implemented across the State through all the Municipalities.

"The responsibility of communicating this order and ensuring compliance lies with respondents no.2 and 3 i.e. the Secretary, Urban Development and Local Bodies and the Secretary, Animal Husbandry...Copy of the order shall be served to the Municipality, Nainital by the petitioner and other Municipalities and local bodies by respondent no.2," the Court ordered as it posted the matter for further hearing on September 21, 2022.

Case title - Girish Chandra Kholia v. State of Uttarakhand and others

Click Here To Read/Download Order