Supreme Court To Hear Pleas Over Feeding Stray Dogs On Nov 16

The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear on November 16 the pleas challenging an order of the Bombay High Court which had directed that no citizen of Nagpur and areas surrounding it shall feed or make any attempt to feed stray dogs in public places.

The high court on October 20 had also directed that if any person is interested in feeding stray dogs, he shall first adopt it, bring it home, register it with the municipal authorities or put it in some dog shelter home and "then showering his love and affection on it, may feed it while taking its personal care in all respect".

The pleas against the high court order came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and J K Maheshwari.

The bench, which said assistance of the municipal corporation concerned is needed in the matter, orally observed that the order may require some modifications.

It posted the matter for hearing on November 16.

In its order, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had noted that in the past, the authorities had taken certain steps in the direction of controlling the nuisance of stray dogs, but they were seen to be not enough to eliminate it or even reduce it.

"Accordingly, we direct in general that no citizen and no resident of Nagpur and areas surrounding it shall feed or make any attempt to feed the stray dogs in public places, gardens, etc. We further direct the Municipal Commissioner of Nagpur Municipal Corporation to ensure that no such feeding at any place except own homes of such persons shall be undertaken," the high court had said.

It had also directed the commissioner of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to ensure that no feeding of street dogs takes place at any place except at the own place of the dog feeder or in the dog shelter homes or any other authorised place.

"....we also direct him to impose appropriate penalty for any breach of these directions, which penalty may not be more than of Rs 200 for every breach as per the resolution already passed in this behalf by Nagpur Municipal Corporation," the high court had said.

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