Managing Stray Dogs in Urban India: A Conflict Between Judiciary, Law, and Public Health
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity & Governance (Judiciary, Urban Local Bodies - ULBs, Key Laws like Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, ABC Rules), Health (Diseases like Rabies).
Mains:
GS Paper 2: Governance issues; Role of Judiciary; Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein (role and challenges of ULBs).
GS Paper 3: Issues of human-animal conflict; Disaster management (rabies as a public health disaster).
Key Highlights from the News
Supreme Court Order: To address the menace of street dogs in Delhi and neighboring cities, the Supreme Court ordered that all street dogs be caught and permanently housed in shelters within eight weeks. Dog bites and the threat of rabies are cited as reasons.
Legal Conflict: This order contradicts the existing Animal Birth Control (ABC Rules, 2023).
ABC rules advocate a "capture, neuter, vaccinate, release" policy. These rules prohibit the permanent relocation of healthy dogs.
Failure of Current Rules:
The article argues that the ABC rules have failed because they could not achieve the required 70% sterilization coverage needed to control the dog population.
Outdated Law: The current legal framework is based on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which is not suitable for today's urban realities.
Way Forward:
A new, modern law is needed. It should categorize dogs into those that can be adopted, those requiring euthanasia, and those needing to be housed in shelters.
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) should be strengthened with funding.
Shelter medicine should be included in veterinary education.
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