The state government is obliged to protect citizens from attacks of ferocious dogs by identifying and containing such canines and removing them from public places, the Kerala High Court said on Wednesday. "The State administration must remind itself of the fact that in its role as a welfare State and as parans patriae of the citizenry, it is obliged to protect the citizens from the attack of ferocious dogs by identifying and containing such dogs and removing them from public places," the bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Gopinath P said.
While directing the state government to protect the citizens, the high court also directed it to issue instructions to the public, through the police, not to take law into their hands and inflict unnecessary harm on dogs. These directions were issued by the bench in a special sitting convened by it in the wake of instances of dog bites being reported from across the state.
When the court was told that there have also been reports of unauthorised killing of community dogs, the bench directed the state government "to cause suitable public instructions to be issued through the State Police Chief, clarifying that while the State Administration is taking necessary steps to contain the incidents of dog bites, the citizenry shall also refrain from taking law into their own hands by inflicting unnecessary harm on community dogs".
During the hearing, the state government told the bench that it was taking steps to address the pressing issue and a detailed report would be filed by September 16.
The special sitting was convened by the bench in a pending PIL initiated by the court on its own in the wake of a gruesome killing of a dog named Bruno last year. The dog was tied up and beaten to death by some people on the Adimalathura beach on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.
As part of the PIL, the court had issued a slew of directions for monitoring the implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) procedure throughout the state with a view to keep a check on the proliferation of community dogs, and for ensuring that they were duly vaccinated against infectious diseases.
On Wednesday, the bench said that the report the state government will file should mention the steps taken pursuant to the earlier orders of the court and the measures it proposes to take in the prevailing scenario of increasing instances of dog bites.
It also said the circular the state government was directed to issue through the police to the public should also accompany the report and listed the matter for hearing on September 16.
Animal rights activists are of the opinion that media coverage of the issue has led to mass hysteria and created hostile sentiments in humans towards street dogs. Calls for massive culling of dogs are being made almost every day. Instead of strictly focussing on the failed implementation of the animal birth control (ABC) programme, media reports serve to create fear and panic among audiences, they allege.
Speaking to TNM, Sreedevi, who is a People for Animals (PFA) trustee, said that effective implementation of the ABC programme, along with responsible pet ownership, promoting adoption of Indie dogs, as well as proper waste management, form the ideal sustainable solution.
Meanwhile, a number of stray dogs were killed in different districts of Kerala over the stray dog menace. On Tuesday, September 13, a dog was hanged in public near Changanassery in Kottayam district. A wreath was also placed near the carcass of the animal.
On the previous day on September 12, around 12 dogs were poisoned and killed in Moolakulam of Kottayam district. Several dead dogs were reportedly found in Karikode and Keezhoor region of Moolakulam panchayath. Velloor police have taken a case over the issue under IPC Section 429 (mischief by killing or poisoning animals). Locals said there were around 40 dog bite cases in Moolakulam in a week, however, it was not officially confirmed.
A total of 21 people have died in Kerala due to dog bites this year, among which five had taken vaccinations.
With PTI inputs