Supreme Court Lists Plea to Euthanize Stray Dogs in Kerala, Issues Notices to Centre, State Governments
(Judicial Quest News Network)
In the backdrop of more than a thousand people getting attacked by stray dogs in Kerala every day the Supreme Court has decided to urgently take on board a plea by the Kannur District Panchayat to allow it to euthanize “suspected rabid” and “extremely dangerous” stray dogs.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and M.M. Sundaresh issued formal notice and listed the case for hearing on July 12.
The local body have moved the Apex Court immediately after a 11 year old Autistic Child was “mauled to death” by pack of stray dogs.
“That shockingly an 11 year old Autistic Child namely Nihal was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs at Kannur on 11.06.2023. The inquest and autopsy report of deceased child revealed the horrific nature of the attack as bite marks and scratches were seen all across his body, including deep injuries behind his neck and ear, also a part of his thigh was bitten off by the stray dogs.”
The petition is filed by the president of Panchayat Ms. P.P.Divya represented by Advocate K.R.Subhash Chandran said it was horrified by the incident.
The respondents in the plea said that they were not given due notice of the petition filed by the Panchayat.They needed to file a response there is trend to kill dogs in Kerala Advocate Jasmine Damkewala for the respondents in the case submitted.
The bench directed the respondents to file their response in court on 7 July. The petition is listed to be heard on July 12 along with other connected cases. There are large numbers of dog bite incidents reported across the District especially against children and by considering the emergent Situation Applicant is praying for certain directions from this Hon’ble Court in the captioned matter. It is pertinent to mention that 5794 stray Dogs attacks were reported in 2019, 3951 cases in 2020, 7927 cases in 2021, 11776 cases were reported in 2022 and 6276 cases are reported Up to 19th June, 2023 in Kannur District itself. It is further submitted that there are approximately 28000 stray dogs in the limits of the Applicant herein. That the Applicant is making every effort to control stray dogs menace within the local limits but the incidents of stray dog attacks, bites, and road accidents due to dog collision are increasing day by day within the District Panchayat area as well as throughout the state. It is also pertinent to mention that 65 ducks and large number of domestic animals have been killed by the violent stray dogs recently in the State.
In the recent past Advocate V.K.Biju had made an urgent mentioning before the Supreme Court to take up the issue of stray dog attacks on school children, daily wagers, and women in the State.
