Cruelty to animals: HC asks Kerala govt to produce district-wise details of animal shelters

The report also suggested captive elephant committee monitor the welfare of captive elephants.
Elephants at the rehabilitation centre at Kottoor in Thiruvananthapuram taking bath in Neyyar dam’s catchment area as the mercury level rises | Vincent Pulickal
Elephants at the rehabilitation centre at Kottoor in Thiruvananthapuram taking bath in Neyyar dam’s catchment area as the mercury level rises | Vincent Pulickal

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the state government to produce the district-wise details of animal shelters, both state-owned as well as at the private ownership.

A division bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Gopinath P issued the order when the suo motu case registered to monitor the steps taken against the instances of cruelty to animals came up for hearing.

A report was submitted by the Amici Curiae - Senior Advocate Ramesh Babu and Advocate Suresh Menon - suggesting the constitution of the state animal welfare board. They suggested an apex committee and various sub-committees to address the different issues regarding animal welfare within the state. The apex committee comprising a retired judge of the Kerala High Court as chairperson and 19 other members nominated by the government and the court. The sub-committees could be constituted to address the issues regarding animal birth control, the functioning of slaughterhouses and others. 

The report also suggested captive elephant committee monitor the welfare of captive elephants. The court asked the state to consider the report as a suggestion and come back to the court with their views about the constitution of the animal welfare board.

As regards the alleged capturing and culling of street dogs in the Thrikkakara municipality area, the municipality submitted that they have no role to play in the incident. The police have registered cases against several persons and a junior health inspector attached to the municipality. The court directed the municipality to identify areas where street dogs can be rehabilitated and sheltered. The municipality may not be able to discharge their entire obligation as regards the maintenance of such shelter by spending funds at this stage. The court also explored the possibility of identifying animal welfare groups that will be able to utilise their resources to catch, relocate and shelter the street dogs. M Umadevi, Counsel for Daya animal welfare organisation submitted that it is ready to provide shelter to street dogs and sought time to ascertain the holding capacity of the shelters maintained by the organisation.

The court posted the hearing of the case to Friday.

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