Jodhpur, Aug 22 (IANS) A wave of joy has swept through the animal lovers in Jodhpur on Friday following the Supreme Court’s modified order directing the release and vaccination of all captured stray dogs. The court also emphasised that only rabid dogs should be excluded from release and that the entire process will be monitored by an NGO.
Animal lover Jatin Solanki expressed his happiness to IANS, stating, “What we had long been demanding has finally happened. The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the dogs. Sterilisation drives will now begin in full swing across India. It’s encouraging to see that monitoring has also been made mandatory. Like the Netherlands, we hope India can also become a country free of stray dog suffering.”
Solanki also criticised the lack of consistent implementation of Animal Birth Control (ABC) in the past.
“Municipal authorities had slowed down the process. It’s good that the Supreme Court stepped in and modified the guidelines. We need to follow the Netherlands’ model seriously.”
Kushal Agarwal, another local animal welfare supporter, added, “The decision is a big relief. Creating designated feeding spots is a thoughtful move. The public won’t be disturbed, and ABC will be effectively implemented. Releasing dogs post-sterilization is a welcome step.”
Anshuman Jodha echoed similar sentiments, saying, “We are truly happy with the verdict. Animal Birth Control, if followed strictly, will prevent unnecessary suffering. The guidelines are now clear and should be implemented properly.”
Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court modified its earlier directions for the capture and complete relocation of stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region. In a fresh order, the three-judge Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria directed that stray dogs picked up must be released in their own territory after sterilisation and immunisation, except those infected with rabies or exhibiting aggressive behaviour.
The Justice Nath-led Bench, which reserved its decision last week in the suo motu case titled "In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price", emphasised the creation of dedicated feeding spaces for stray dogs while restricting public feeding.
Expanding the scope of proceedings beyond Delhi-NCR, the apex court impleaded all Union Territories and state governments for the creation of a pan-India policy on stray dogs and proposed transferring to itself similar petitions pending in various High Courts.
The Justice Nath-led Bench did not alter its earlier direction that any organisation or group obstructing the removal of stray dogs would face strict legal action.
The latest order directed that each individual dog lover and NGO will deposit Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, with the apex court registry, failing which they shall not be allowed to appear in the matter any further -- a move apparently aimed at preventing the filing of frivolous intervention applications.
Earlier, a two-judge Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan had directed municipal bodies across Delhi-NCR to immediately capture all stray dogs and relocate them to shelters.
Citing serious concerns over public safety and the rising risk of rabies, the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench described the situation as "grim" and emphasised that urgent action was necessary to ensure the safety of children, women, and the elderly on the streets.
It had ordered New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and civic agencies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to begin picking up all stray dogs in their jurisdictions and move them to designated shelters.
The verdict on the relocation of the stray dogs to shelters in Delhi-NCR sparked an uproar from several quarters of society.
Subsequently, Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai constituted a larger 3-judge Bench as the order passed by the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench apparently conflicted with a 2024 apex court order that barred the killing of stray animals and emphasised compassion towards all living beings as an enshrined Constitutional value.
--IANS
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