NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court has prepared a long order about its decision on the stray dog matter from August 11. This order lays out a complete plan for the animals’ care. The order, which came out on Wednesday, goes into more detail about the court’s prior spoken instructions. It makes it clear that dogs who have been captured must not be treated with “mistreatment, cruelty, or deplorable standards of care” at any point.
The written order was released at the same time that the suo motu case was moved from the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan to a new three-judge panel chaired by Justice Vikram Nath.
New rules for round-up and shelter work
The court repeated its order that all stray canines in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), which now clearly includes Faridabad, must be caught and put in shelters “at the earliest.” The ruling also says that no caught canines can be let back out onto the streets, which goes against the current Animal Birth Control guidelines.
The order lists the minimum standards that shelters must meet:
Staffing: Shelters must always have at least two responsible people on duty to make sure that supervision is available at all times.
Welfare: The government must make sure that there is enough space for everyone, that they are fed regularly and well, and that they are always cared for. Animals that are weak or vulnerable should be kept apart from other animals.
Medical Care: The animals must get prompt medical care from trained veterinarians.
Keeping Records: Every dog that is caught must be marked and logged so that it can be found again. The court said that anyone who let a stray dog go again would face “the strictest of action.”
The court also ordered that shelters for at least 5,000 dogs be built in six to eight weeks and that a helpline be set up for people who have been bitten by dogs. Authorities must respond to these complaints and pick up the animal that is causing the problem within four hours of getting the report.
Adoption and Getting People Involved
The detailed order also talks about adoptions. It lets officials look into adoption plans, but only after a thorough review and in line with the Animal Welfare Board of India’s Standard Protocol for Adoption of Community Animals. The court made it clear that rehoming must be permanent and watched over, and that the animal must not be allowed to go back to public places.
The court told the public and animal welfare groups to help the government manage the shelters properly and asked real supporters to volunteer.
A Choice for Safety and Compassion
The Supreme Court made its decision after hearing about a toddler who died from rabies after being bitten by a dog. The judges said that the move was not impetuous but the result of “prolonged deliberation.” They said it was a response to a “systematic failure” by the government to deal with the issue of public safety over twenty years.
The order also showed that the court cares about groups of people who are more likely to be attacked by dogs, like youngsters, the elderly, and people who can’t see well. The court said that its orders are “for the good of both humans and dogs” and are meant to “protect those on the edges.” The court wants to find a balance between keeping people safe and taking care of animals by making these rules official.