Paws and Policy

Supreme Court directives spark structured intervention in Kashmir to balance public safety with animal welfare.

- Mohammad Hanief

Kashmir mornings start with a sense of worry. Children head to school with extra care. Shopkeepers keep an eye on the lanes outside their stores. Even a short visit to a hospital can feel uneasy.

Behind this caution is a growing stray dog population across Jammu & Kashmir that has changed the way people move through public spaces.

Thousands of bite cases in recent years have stretched hospitals, worried families, and pushed people to ask for firm action.

This month, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir issued an extensive order to address the problem systematically, creating committees at both the Union Territory and district levels.

The move follows directions from the Supreme Court, which has flagged the threat stray dogs pose to children in particular and urged states to adopt scientifically proven and humane measures to control populations.

For the first time in years, there is a sense that administration, judiciary, and communities are approaching the issue with aligned seriousness.

At the heart of the new strategy is a Union Territory-level committee, chaired by senior bureaucrats from diverse sectors: Health, Education, Housing, Public Works, Transport, Sports, Rural Development, and Law.

Representatives from national bodies like the Animal Welfare Board and the NHAI are also included, reflecting a multi-departmental, whole-of-government approach.