NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has, in its order, said that it decided to take up in its hands the stray dog matter and pronounced appropriate orders becasue of the systematic failure of the authorities over the past two decades to address an issue that strikes at the heart of public safety.
The detailed order of August 11, uploaded in the Supreme Court website on Wednesday, said that the menace of dog bites had to be dealt with urgently.
"The entire exercise that we propose to undertake, is not to be performed casually. The burning issue that we have embarked upon is not driven by a momentary impulse. On the contrary, it is only after the deepest of deliberations, and having reached the firm conclusion about the systematic failure of the concerned authorities over the past two decades to address an issue that strikes at the heart of public safety, that we have decided to take the matter in our hands," Justice J B Pardiwala led bench of the apex court said, in its order on August 11.
The apex court said, it examined the prevailing circumstances, heard the voices of those who have been directly affected and reflected upon a disturbing pattern of dog bites in this country.
"Now is not the time for any resistance or hesitation born of complacency. It is a time for decisive and collective action and to confront the realities of our society. If we fail to act with urgency, we risk allowing yet another two decades to slip into the ledger of neglect, leaving future generations to inherit the same problems and the same dangers," Justice Pardiwala said.
The court underlined the necessity of conscious and sensitive of co-existence. The idea behind co-existence is not the existence of one's life at the cost of the other. "We are attempting to flag the experience of those who use the streets daily. Streets should not prove to be vulnerable places. Among a bundle of concerns, we are at pains to take cognisance of the experiences of visually impaired persons," the court added.
Justice Pardiwala said that the visually impaired persons are at the highest risk of dog bites as their primary support, their canes, are seen as threats by the dogs. Young children are susceptible to dog bites due to which parents find it very difficult to allow their children to navigate on streets on their own. We have come across concerns of elderly persons being attacked by rambunctious dogs.
The court also clarified that it was not casting aspersions, but there is no way one can identify or classify between a rabies-carrying dog and others. More particularly, the situation is worse when it comes to persons who are forced to sleep on the streets.
"It is painstaking to note the pangs of such persons who neither have the knowledge of the consequences of dog bites nor have any precautionary or post-exposure measures accessible to them," the apex court added.
It also urged all to adopt and give dogs a shelter in their homes. However, we do not ascribe to the virtue signalling of all those who share love and concern for the animals.
On a note of anguish, the court noted, a virtual divide is being attempted to be created between 'animal lovers' and persons indifferent towards animals. But the heart of the problem remains unanswered, for all practical reasons. "As a court, our heart pains equally for everyone. The directions given by us, as a court which functions for the welfare of the people, are both in the interest of humans as well as dogs. This is not personal," the court highlited.
The court also made it clear that it was being conscious about the genuine love and care towards stray dogs that many stakeholders of the public share, we urge them to come forward and become a part of this exercise. "To ensure the care and upkeep of the stray dogs responsibly at the dog shelters/pounds. To volunteer their valuable time and resources towards the proper functioning of such shelters /pounds and assisting the concerned authorities therein," it added.
