New Delhi | The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said dogs were "great" friends of humans and should be treated nicely as it called upon authorities to ensure dog-human conflict should be minimised in the capital.
Justice Mini Pushkarna therefore directed the authorities and other parties concerned to give recommendations regarding rehabilitation of stray dogs, stressing human dog-human conflict should be minimised.
"Dogs is the most loved animal of the world and a great friend of humans. It should be ensured that dogs are protected and have to be given dignity," the court said, asking for dogs to be treated nicely.
"Either dogs are at home, or shelter. Not on roads eating garbage. Humans and dogs both are suffering. Neither humans are safe, nor dogs. Dogs are loved animals," the court said.
Upon being informed that sterilisation of around 70 per cent dogs would solve the issue, the judge said the proposed solution had been lingering for the last three decades but nothing changed.
“Sterilisation isn't working at all. It's not the solution,” the court said.
It also came on record that around 200 dogs, who were earlier sent to a shelter home, were about to be released on road as the temporary facility was scheduled to be demolished by the MCD.
The court noted the only proposal that came about in a meeting conducted by the Delhi chief secretary was the sterilisation of dogs.
The court said various animal birth control centres were not functional and 78 vet hospitals were non operational.
The matter was posted for September 17.
The high court previously asked the authorities in the capital to frame a policy on rehabilitation of stray dogs at an institutional level to phase them out from public roads and streets.
Referring the matter to the Delhi chief secretary in view of the "magnanimity of the problem" faced by the general public, the court said coordinated efforts by the Delhi government, MCD and the Animal Welfare Board of India, were needed for the formulation of a policy.
The court asked the chief secretary to call a meeting of all stakeholders concerned on steps for removing strays from the streets and rehabilitating them in an institutional shelter.
