Court Gives 8-Week Deadline to Shift Stray Dogs to Shelters
The Supreme Court has ordered authorities to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to shelters within eight weeks. The order was meant to put an end to increasing instances of death due to attacks by dog bites and rabies. The court further issued a warning that any organization trying to hinder this process will be dealt with firmly.
A two-judge bench of Justice Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan is hearing the case after reports indicated a rise in rabies deaths in Delhi and NCR. The court made it clear that it would only listen to the central government's submissions on the issue. The petitions of animal welfare groups and other opposing parties against the order will not be entertained. The court emphasized that the judgment had been taken in the interest of the public and directed authorities to move stray dogs from all parts of Delhi to proper shelters at the earliest.
Relocation Plans Already Identified
When queried on destinations for re-locating stray dogs, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that sites had already been finalized. But animal rights activists informed the court that relocation activities were suspended after a stay order was granted.
Court Rejects Objections from Animal Rights Groups
Justice Pardiwala was frustrated by the delays and asked if animal lovers could restore lives lost to rabies. The court directed that stray dogs should not be up for adoption and asked authorities to immediately build shelters for them.
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