Pinnacle court keeps stay on Delhi HC order regarding feeding of stray dogs

05-03-2022

The Top court today stayed an order of the Delhi HC allowing street dogs to be fed by any residential society in the country.

The apex court delivered a notice on a plea filed by a community upgrading human-animal relations, which mentioned a decision of the top court in 2015 that doesn’t allow high courts from passing orders regarding the dogs under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.

Two judges bench composed of justices Vineet Saran and Aniruddha Bose delivered notice to the Animal Welfare Board (AWB) and the government of Delhi regarding the appeal filed by Humane Foundation for People and Animals (HFPA) in opposition to Delhi high court order of 24th June previous year.

Adjourning the case hearing for six weeks later the bench said that, " In Between the operation of the challenged judgement shall remain stayed."

Senior lawyer Sanjay Sarin, representing for HFPA,

mentioned that the Delhi high court delivered the guidelines in question regarding the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 also called as ABC Guidelines and the 1960 PCA Act.

According to data produced by Delhi municipality, Delhi previous year reported almost 32,000 dog bitten injuries to citizens of Delhi, mostly by stray dogs. Feeding stray dogs is a major issue in most residents, with daily quarrels between dog lovers and dog haters.

Earlier Delhi HC delivered the judgement that community dogs have the right to food and citizens have the right to feed stray dogs while looking that in exercising this right, proper measures should be taken to ensure that it does not harm upon other citizens and causes no harassment or nuisance.