Observing that nobody should stop feeding stray dogs as they may become aggressive, the Supreme Court, in an interim order on Wednesday, stayed certain observations of the Bombay High Court in which it was said that those who are interested in feeding stray dogs should “formally adopt” them and directed that no nuisance must be created by people while feeding them.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari sought a response from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Animal Welfare Board on a plea against the Bombay High Court order over guidelines on stray dog feedings. The court stayed the Bombay High Court’s observation that people who want to feed dogs must adopt them until the next hearing date.
The top court, while hearing the matter, passed various remarks, including one asking whether street dogs have any residence to live in. The court said, “Where do street dogs live, and do the canines have any residences to live in?”
The Supreme Court further expressed concern about keeping the street dogs in captivity and said that they are not meant to be kept in captivity. The court also said that one cannot insist that people who feed dogs must adopt them. In an interim order, the court directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to ensure and take steps for the general public to feed the street dogs at the appropriate locations identified and demarcated by them.
