Stray dogs have a right to food and citizens have right to feed them: HC
New Delhi: Holding that stray or street dogs have the right to food and citizens have the right to feed community dogs, the Delhi High Court has issued a slew of guidelines with regard to the feeding and adequate treatment of street dogs without causing harm or hindrance to other persons of a locality.
A single-judge bench of Justice JR Midha in his judgement held that feeding of community dogs have to be done in areas specifically designated by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in consultation with the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) or Municipal Corporation.
"While determining the 'designated area', the AWBI and RWA/ Municipal Corporations has to be conscious of the fact that every community dog is territorial being and therefore, community dogs must be fed and tended to at places within their territory," the court stated.
The bench added that it is the duty of the AWBI and the RWAs "to ensure and keep in mind the fact that community dogs live in 'packs' and care should be taken by the AWBI and RWAs to see that each 'pack' ideally has different designated areas for feeding even if that means designating multiple areas in a locality".
Meanwhile, also noting that the same shouldn't impinge on someone else's right or cause hindrance or harassment to an individual, the court stated: "Community dogs (stray/street dogs) have the right to food and citizens have the right to feed community dogs but in exercising the right, care and caution should be taken to ensure that it does not impinge upon the rights of others or cause any harm, hindrance, harassment and nuisance to other individuals or members of the society."
The bench also directed all law enforcement authorities to ensure that no harassment is caused to the person feeding street dogs at the designated feeding spot and to further implement the AWBI Revised Guidelines on pet and street dogs.
Justice Midha also observed that street dogs have to be fed and tended to at places within their territory "which are not frequented, or less frequented, and sparingly used by the general public and residents".
Stating that AWBI should ensure that every RWA or Municipal Corporation shall have an Animal Welfare Committee which shall ensure harmony and ease of communication between caregivers, feeders or animal lovers and other residents, the order also read that injured or unwell dogs should be treated by RWA as its duty and that dogs should be trained as guard dogs who will protect the community from outsiders.
