Goel welcomes SC order on stray dogs

Senior BJP leader and an active campaigner against the stray dog menace in Delhi, Vijay Goel, welcomed the Supreme Court order on Tuesday, which asserted that the right of people to live with dignity included the right to move freely without the threat of harm from dog attacks.

The former Union minister laid blame on a “handful of so-called dog lovers and dog feeders” who he alleged kept people scared by lodging police complaints whenever anyone protested against stray dog attacks. However, he does not think the Supreme Court order will provide instant relief from the problem.

“Despite the court order, there will still be laxity in dealing with this issue because the system itself is slack. In Delhi, there are still no shelter homes for dogs, no meetings have been held to discuss the issue or take feedback from people, designated places for feeding dogs are yet to be fixed,” Goel said.

Goel said he has written letters to the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to take action in this regard. “All the resident welfare associations (RWAs) across the country should welcome the SC order and ensure that the state governments concerned take action to implement it,” he said.

The former Delhi BJP president also said the problem of stray dogs has become so acute that the court was forced to say that killing rabid and dangerous canines should also be considered. For the last few years, Goel has been working with RWAs to ensure government action against the issue of stray animals, especially the growing number of street dog attacks.

Activists plan hunger strike over stray dog order

New Delhi: Animal rights activists are planning a hunger strike protest at Delhi’s Ramlila Ground against the recent Supreme Court observations on stray dogs, with campaigners also preparing to approach various high courts over the issue.

Animal activist Shakrudin said several groups are seeking permission to hold a hunger strike and protest in the national capital.

“We are preparing for a peaceful hunger strike at Ramlila Ground and legal intervention in different high courts. Activists will also monitor the vehicles used to pick up stray dogs and track where the animals are being taken,” he said.

The proposed protests come after the Supreme Court, for the first time on Tuesday, allowed euthanasia for rabid, incurably ill, or demonstrably dangerous stray dogs to curb the threat to human life.

Another activist, Tanya, said campaigners would continue legal and social efforts to seek safeguards for stray animals.

“Any action related to stray dogs should be humane and transparent. We want proper implementation of sterilisation and vaccination rules, and we hope the courts consider all aspects before any final decision,” she said. Activist Chaya said volunteers would closely track any dog-catching drives conducted by authorities.