Take steps to bring down dog population at IIT campus: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court on Friday opined that the number of dogs, stray and abandoned, on the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras should be reduced to about fifty (People for Cattle in India v. The Chairman and ors)..A Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P Audikesavalu was dealing with a petition filed by NGO People for Cattle in India amid the COVID-19 pandemic raising concern over welfare of the stray dogs that the Chennai campus houses. ."At the end of the day, IIT campus is not a dog park, nor a zoo, nor is it the IIT's core business to devote its resources or energy towards maintaining dogs, including pets that residents in the city may abandon at the IIT gates ... It is necessary that the number of dogs at the IIT campus is reduced from its present level of about 100, as the IIT claims or about 120 as the State agencies suggest. There could be a few dogs and, given the size of the campus and dogs being traditionally present, the number may be reduced closer to 50, since there are deer and black bucks also on the campus", the Court's order stated. .The Court added that the petitioner-NGO, along with State authorities and the Animal Welfare Board of India should decide on the course of action to be followed to ensure that IIT is rid of the menace of too many dogs on campus.They should decide on what needs to be done with the dogs taken off campus "whether by way of adoption or placement at some centres run by NGOs or the like.".In response to the Court's queries as to how the dog population on the campus has been increasing, the Bench was informed that while there are efforts to neuter or sterlise all dogs on campus, several people dump their pet dogs on the campus as well. Six dogs were abandoned at the campus this week alone, the Court was told. .In view of the same, the Court directed,"The State should also ensure that IIT does not become a dumping ground for abandoned dogs and some measures in such regard need to be put in place. The new arrivals at the IIT may be handed over to the Corporation and the Corporation should deal with such dogs in an ethical and humane manner.".During the course of the hearing, the Court was also told by the counsel appearing for the IIT that it was doing its best to take care of the dogs and that efforts were made to micro-chip all dogs on the campus. The counsel added that a report submitted by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) also attested to how well the dogs were being taken care of. .On the other hand, the petitioner raised concern that recently, around forty-nine dogs had died at the campus. Fourteen dogs were sick, the Court was also told. .The Court, in turn issued directions to facilitate the medical treatment of these dogs by taking them to a veterinary doctor."It will be open to the petitioner, along with any appropriate agency of the State monitoring the same, to remove the sick dogs and other dogs needing immediate care to any State run veterinary hospital or facility whereat even private persons may be permitted to provide appropriate care," the Court said. .The matter will be heard again on November 19. .[Read Order]