STRAY DOGS MANAGEMENT AND LEGALITY IN INDIA: BALANCING PUBLIC SAFETY AND FEEDING STRAY DOGS

The street dog population has been an important part of life in urban and rural areas of India.

- DR.S.KRISHNAN & ANIRUDDH SINGH BHATI

Known for their adaptability, resilience and ability to communicate with each other, street dogs are known to be visible across cities and villages.

The canine beings, said to be man's best friend, have been in the eye of a debate that has arisen out of the scrimmage between man's love towards them, their right to live freely, and the health hazards posed by them to man such as rabies and incidents of dog bites. The big take debate is on how to treat these dogsthrough control, sterilisation or free roaming.

By and large, the judicial history of India has changed milestones in court and laws to provide answers to the complicated question about street dogs, law and society. This blog takes into account the various laws concerning street dogs in India and outstanding judgments which have shaped the contours of animal welfare across the country.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF STREET DOGS IN INDIA

The Supreme Court of India recently delivered a judgment in the Animal Welfare Board of India & Anr v. People for Elimination of Stray Troubles & Ors case, which has been a contentious 15-year-old issue. The case centered on whether municipal and local authorities can indiscriminately kill stray dogs to reduce the population and prevent rabies, or if they must follow the WHO-backed scientific approach of sterilization. Legally, the matter was framed as a battle between state/municipal laws that authorize "culling" of stray dogs, and the central Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act and Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules that mandate sterilization instead of killing. This landmark judgment upholds the rights and welfare of stray dogs, setting an important precedent for animal protection in the country.