Rajasthan HC Orders Removal of Stray Dogs, Warns Against Obstruction
The Rajasthan High Court has directed municipal bodies to remove stray dogs and other animals from city streets, following a spate of fatal dog bite incidents and in line with recent Supreme Court orders for the Delhi-NCR region. The ruling also applies to Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad.
Hearing a suo motu plea on stray animal-related deaths, a division bench of Justice Kuldeep Mathur and Justice Ravi Chirania empowered civic officials to file FIRs against anyone obstructing their work. The court stressed that removal drives must ensure “minimum physical harm” to animals.
The Jodhpur Municipal Corporation has been told to prioritise clearing stray animals from high-traffic areas like AIIMS Jodhpur and the district court, while the National and State Highways authorities have been instructed to patrol roads regularly to keep them animal-free.
The bench urged citizens wishing to feed or care for stray animals to do so only at designated shelters, cattle ponds, or gaushalas run by municipal bodies or private organisations. Municipalities must also set up public helplines and email IDs for reporting stray-related issues.
The Additional Advocate General has been asked to submit a detailed report on the condition and upkeep of existing animal shelters, to identify gaps and improve facilities.
