[In Re Bruno] Erect signposts to prevent harassment of persons feeding stray dogs at dedicated feeding points: Kerala High Court

The Kerala high Court on Wednesday issued directions to set up dedicated feeding areas for community dogs in the Thrikkakara Municipality after news reports surfaced of mass culling of stray dogs in the area (In Re: Bruno (Suo Motu) Public Interest Litigation)..The Court passed the order in the Public Interest Litigation proceedings initiated by suo motu to examine Executive and Legislative inaction of the State Government on protection of animal rights. The Court had earlier renamed the case as In Re: Bruno in memory of Bruno, a Labrador dog brutally killed by three youths in the State..A Division Bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Gopinath P directed that in addition to setting up feeding points in the areas identified as suitable by the municipality, signposts shall also be erected to ensure that persons feeding community dogs in such areas are not subjected to any harassment by the public or law enforcement authorities."We direct the Thrikkakara Municipality to erect signposts at these locations marking them as feeding points for community dogs and also to provide details of these locations to the SHO of the respective police stations that have jurisdiction over the said locations. This is to ensure that members of the public who feed community dogs at the identified locations are not subjected to any harassment while doing so, and in the event of any such harassment, the police authorities concerned can respond to the complaint filed by such persons. The signposts erected at the feeding points can also indicate that the area is a no-plastic zone, in line with the efforts taken by the Municipality towards that end," the Court said. .The Court further directed the Corporations of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Trichur, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur to identify suitable locations within their territorial limits to be designated as feeding points for community dogs and erect signposts at the said locations after giving due intimation to the concerned Police Stations..[BREAKING] "In Re Bruno:" Kerala High Court renames suo motu case on animal cruelty in memory of dog killed by three persons.Dhyan Foundation and Daya Foundation, two animal welfare organisations that had been impleaded as respondents in the matter, informed the Court that they shall depute their trained dog handlers in the area to trap, neuter and release community dogs in the Municipality. .The Court emphasised that such community dogs must be subjected to Animal Birth Control procedures at animal shelters by qualified veterinary surgeons. The dogs must also be vaccinated against rabies and other infectious diseases, rested and only then be released back to the same location from where they were picked up, the Court said. .It also directed the Thrikkakara Municipality to provide assistance to the two organisations in any manner necessary, including by deputing suitable personnel to identify the locations that are frequented by the community dogs. .Moreover, it directed that, the expenses incurred by the organisations in this regard shall be reimbursed by the Municipality, after the statement of expenses submitted by the organisations has been certified as reasonable by the Court..Counsel for the organisations also informed the Court that an animal shelter owned by the Kochi Corporation at Brahmapuram is currently lying un-utilised.The Court, therefore, directed the Kochi Corporation to open the animal shelter to be used by the two organisations for the purpose of administering animal birth control and vaccinating community dogs. It also asked the Corporation to depute sufficient personnel to the shelter. .Pursuant to the orders issued by the Court in previous hearings of the matter, Additional Advocate General Ashok Cherian informed the Court that orders reconstituting the State Animal Welfare Board will be passed within two weeks. In this regard, the Court issued further directions insisting that "the State Government make suitable arrangements for ensuring that the Board functions with an active web portal, pending identification of formal office premises, so that the general public can have access to the Board and its members in the immediate aftermath of its reconstitution.".[In Re Bruno] Remove posters outside State veterinary hospitals advocating chaining/caging of pets: Kerala High Court .It also directed the Corporations of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Trichur, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur to immediately take steps to register/license pet dogs within their respective territorial limits as was directed by the Court previously and by the State Government in a circular issued by it in this regard. .The matter will be taken up again on September 3, 2021.[Read Order]