Stray dogs issue: Kerala State child rights body moves Supreme Court seeking euthanisation of suspected rabid dogs

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has moved the Supreme Court highlighting the need for euthanising stray dogs that are dangerous and suspected to be rabid in the State in order to tackle the issue of dogs attacking children..The child rights body, in an interlocutory application, has also urged for strict action to be taken against those irresponsibly abandoning such dogs."The applicant Commission has received many complaints about the nuisance of stray dogs and the plight of children who have been fatally bitten by them ... Repeated attacks from stray dogs is being reported. Stray dogs do not have the lame nature of a faithful domesticated dog. It is just like a vermin and when they gathered their attacking nature will be showed and become dangerous", the application stressed..The applicant added that while there are several schemes that have been formulated by the State to tackle the stray dog issue, none of them have been a complete solution. "Even after sterilization and anti-rabies vaccination, they are left in the street and since they do not have proper arrangements for food and shelter, they become a threat and nightmare to children and the common people. It is essential for the safety of children and public welfare that all stray dogs shall be caught and kept in a safe place," the application stated. .The Supreme Court is slated to hear the stray dogs case on July 12. The Kannur Panchayat has also sought impleadment in the matter in view of two recent stray dog attacks on children.The main case deals with a challenge to a 2006 judgment of the Kerala High Court that had empowered local self-government institutions to kill stray dogs..The Kerala child rights body has flagged the lack of awareness among people in India about the importance of responsible pet ownership, as well as the dangers of abandoning pets. "This lack of awareness contributes to the increasing stray dog crises ... stray dogs can pose a risk to public safety by attacking people or other animals," the child rights body submitted. Culling of stray dogs and/or keeping them in confined facilities can reduce the risk of such incidents to an extent, it was further submitted. The child rights body also highlighted the risk of rabies being spread through strays. "Stray dogs cause a nuisance by barking and attaching the people, damaging property, and creating a fear among the people and especially children," the application added. .Several High Courts are currently seized of matters concerning the welfare and regulation of stray dogs.The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had, in July 2022, sought details of the stray dog population and anti-rabies efforts in the Union Territory.The Supreme Court had, last September, orally suggested that the Kerala government should work towards finding a middle ground to tackle the stray dog menace while also balancing such efforts with animal rights.Thereafter, the Kerala High Court had also directed government hospitals to provide free medical care for victims of dog bites as well as necessary free vaccines, until State machinery is established to deal with the burgeoning stray dog issue in the State.The Bombay High Court had, in April this year, directed a residential society in Mumbai to entertain complaints by members against security guards who use sticks to scare, threaten or injure animals.The Supreme Court had, in November 2022, disapproved of an order of the Bombay High Court that had directed authorities to impose fines on citizens who feed stray dogs in Nagpur.