The highest court has heard a series of petitions on issues related to dog bites. (representative)
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to file data on dog bites over the past seven years across the country and steps taken to monitor such incidents.
A bench of judges Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari instructed the AWBI to file an affidavit stating the details and also stating whether it would like the court to impose the guidelines.
It has also clarified that its 2015 order does not prohibit authorities or individuals, including registered organizations, from applying to high courts or tribunals.
“We do not believe that it is the intent of this court with said order that all subpoenas or proceedings before HCs, civil courts and authorities should be halted and that no effective injunctions can be issued by HCs in cases involving stray dogs, ‘ said the bank.
The Supreme Court had previously said there must be a balance between human safety and animal rights, and suggested that those who feed stray dogs could be held responsible for vaccinating and bearing the cost of treatment if someone is attacked by the animal.
The highest court has heard a series of petitions on issues related to orders from various civil society agencies to euthanize stray dogs, which have become a threat, especially in Kerala and Mumbai.
Some NGOs and individual petitioners have moved the Supreme Court against the decisions of a number of high courts, including the Bombay High Court and Kerala High Court, to allow municipal authorities to properly address the threat of stray dogs.
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