With instances of stray dog attacks steadily on the rise in Kerala, pressure has been mounting on the Kerala government to effectively tackle the problem.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court added its opinion on the matter, telling the state government that stray dogs shouldn’t be a nuisance to the public.
While accepting that compassion can be showed to dogs, the apex court directed that a balanced approach must be taken towards tackling the problem.
A bench comprising Dipak Misra and UU Lalith was hearing 14 petitions filed by animal welfare organisations and animal lovers on the issue.
According to reports, the Animal Welfare Board of India submitted a report with measures to tackle the problem. The court will hold a detailed hearing on the issue on October 4.
The court had earlier appointed a committee headed by Justice S Siri Jagan to study the stray dog menace in the state and recommend the quantum of compensation to the victims.
The committee has reportedly submitted five recommendations to the SC, but the final report is still awaited by the apex court.
The Kerala government’s statements on the matter have thus far stayed away from any mentions of culling stray dogs. An earlier affidavit submitted by the Kerala government proposed measures such as sterilisation and adoption of stray dogs as means to keep down the population. On August 29, the local self-government department had proposed the setting up of a stray dog rehabilitation zoo.
The mood among the public, however, has been strongly negative towards stray dogs. Recently, three persons including a social worker and a panchayat member were booked for allegedly killing stray dogs in Ernakulam. After the incident was reported, three accused received support from businessman Kochouseph Chittilappilly, who has been actively campaigning for the culling of stray dogs.
A social media user’s video message to popular television anchor Ranjini Haridas condemning her compassion towards stray dogs had also recently gone viral on social media.