HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities to ensure strict, step-by-step implementation of the Supreme Court’s directions on Animal Birth Control (ABC).
Justice B Vijaysen Reddy instructed that the Chief Veterinary Officer, or a senior officer familiar with the compliance measures, must remain present at the next hearing, either in person or through virtual mode to update the court on the progress.
During the proceedings, the GHMC standing counsel submitted that the High Court’s interim order dated 28 November was hampering the implementation of the Supreme Court’s mandate.
The apex court has granted eight weeks to all states and Union Territories to remove stray dogs from educational campuses, hospitals, railway stations, bus stands and sports complexes, and subsequently shift them to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination.
The judge clarified that the present order does not restrict the GHMC from carrying out dog capturing and relocation activities permitted by the Supreme Court, and is instead aimed at ensuring effective compliance with those directions.
The court noted the compliance checklist submitted by the petitioners, covering institutions, infrastructure and capacity, and directed the authorities to provide a detailed status report.
The court permitted the petitioner to visit “GHMC Animal Shelter, NTR Nagar, Yellamma Banda, Jagadgiri Gutta, Kukatpally, and GHMC Animal Shelter, Azad Nagar, Amberpet” and allowed photography and videography using a mobile phone during the inspection, provided that no inconvenience is caused to staff at the centres. The authorities have also been given the liberty to seek police assistance if any law and order issue arises during the visit.
The senior counsel for the petitioner submitted that, “There are no designated shelters for the shifting of stray dogs. It is also stated that the alleged centres, which were named by the GHMC are not shelters, but ABC centres.”
The directions were issued while hearing a writ petition filed by the Association for Animal Shelter and Rescue Aid (AASRA), represented by its president, Gowri Vandana, and another petitioner, alleging illegal capture and removal of street dogs in violation of the ABC Rules 2023 and Supreme Court orders.
A senior advocate appearing for the petitioners placed a note and a checklist template before the court to assist the authorities in adhering to the Supreme Court’s instructions in letter and spirit.
The matter was posted to December 9 for further hearing.
APEX COURT directions
Identify all institutional premises where stray dogs are restricted
Secure these premises with fencing, walls or gates
Appoint and notify a nodal officer at each premise
Conduct quarterly inspections to ensure no dog habitats exist
Remove any stray dog found; sterilise, vaccinate and shift THEM to a designated shelter
Ensure hospitals maintain mandatory anti-rabies vaccine stock
Hold awareness sessions in schools on dog-bite prevention and first aid
Deploy personnel at sports complexes to prevent dog entry
Secure and maintain transport hubs with waste control and regular checks
Animal Welfare Board of India to issue SOPs for uniform stray-dog management nationwide