Numerous people like to feed stray dogs or cats, and it appears often if the person is an animal lover. These stray animals have to scavenge their food and the idea of feeding them is full of empathy and compassion towards them, and it additionally makes them more approachable. At the same time, there is no denial of the fact that sometimes these stray animals, mostly dogs, can be dangerous in some cases. Yet, this should not be a cause for people to harm or kill every stray dog that lives. And that is one of the grounds that India’s stray dogs have been given their legal grant of rights and duties in a milestone judgment by the Delhi High Court that involves a right to be fed and a responsibility to safeguard the territories where they live.
The High Court has issued a statement that goes highly in the favour of stray animals such as dogs. It said,
“Animals have a right under law to be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity. Animals are sentient creatures with an intrinsic value. Therefore, the protection of such beings is the moral responsibility of each and every citizen, including the governmental and non-government organization”.
This verdict came after a longstanding conflict between a resident of Delhi and animal lovers who had been feeding dogs in the colony near the entrance to the Delhi resident’s home.
In February, the court directed both sides to work out a settlement, but this whole thing resulted in a standstill. Then Justice Pratibha M. Singh asked the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to step in as a mediator in the case. Later, a settlement took place between the two and a chosen place was fixed for feeding the dogs. Based on this case, the Delhi High Court also constituted a committee, comprising the Director of Animal Husbandry Department or his nominee, senior officers of all municipal corporations, Delhi Cantonment Board, and certain advocates, to fulfill the guidelines.
The court has stated that there is a requirement to increase awareness that animals have a right to live with respect and it ordered the AWBI to carry out an awareness campaign. Such awareness campaigns are particularly significant because there have been many brutal cases in recent times. Recently, a man was captured on CCTV in Goregaon, Mumbai, molesting a stray dog. In March, a 5-year-old community dog was beaten by a few locals at Chandivali, Mumbai. However, these are just a few instances reported to the police where people have acted horribly.
The number of animal abuse cases has increased drastically and at a disturbing rate after the lockdown. Every year, millions of such animals are harmed or killed in countless cases. And this happens even when the cruelty against animals is a cognizable offense under Section 428 and Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code.
A report by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organization (FIAPO) and All Creatures Great and Small (ACGS) was released in February 2021. It claimed that in the said period a total of 4,93,910 animals became victims of crimes committed by humans. According to their conclusions, street animals, including stray dogs are one of the biggest victims of animal abuse, which also included mass culling.
There is no end to what we humans can do to animals, sometimes for no apparent reason. But the latest judgment by the court could have wide-ranging indications for the millions of dogs as the ruling respectfully refers to stray dogs that live across India. Yet, the number of cases of animal cruelty is on the rise in India and it is a matter of concern. There is an urgent need to create compassion in the hearts of people for these animals, and consequently, implement the laws made for safekeeping the stray animals.
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Reference:
- www.planetcustodian.com
- www.ndtv.com
- www.idaindia.org