The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that both civic authorities and individuals who feed stray dogs could be held responsible for injuries or deaths caused by animal attacks, Live Law reported.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria verbally observed that for every “dog bite, death or injury caused to children or elderly”, the court would “fix heavy compensation” on the state for “not doing anything”.
“Liability and accountability [will also be placed] on those who are saying we are feeding dogs,” Live Law quoted Nath as observing. “Do it [feed the dogs], take them to your house. Why should dogs be loitering around biting, scaring people?”
The court made the remarks while monitoring the compliance with its order passed on November 7, which stated that all government premises, such as hospitals, schools and railway stations, must be properly fenced to prevent stray dogs from entering.
The court had said that the local authorities concerned would be responsible for removing stray dogs from such areas and placing them in designated shelters after vaccinating and sterilising them.
Stray dogs picked up from these premises must not be released in the same areas from which they were taken away, the judges had directed in November.
Several animal rights groups had later sought changes to the order, objecting…
Source: Civic bodies, animal feeders could be held responsible for stray dog attacks: SC
