The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the Centre and state governments while hearing a case on stray dogs, saying it may impose heavy compensation for every dog bite and death caused by attacks. The court also observed that people who feed stray dogs should be held accountable for attacks, noting that the impact of a dog bite can be lifelong.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria said states could face significant liability for failing to put proper mechanisms in place. “For every dog bite, for every death, we will likely fix heavy compensation on states for not making requisite arrangements. There will also be liability for dog feeders. If you feed them, take them home and keep them. Why should they be allowed to roam freely, biting and chasing people?” the bench remarked.
The court strongly criticised both the Union and state governments for what it described as a complete failure to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. “We are going to take the Union government and state governments to task. This issue has been pending for decades, yet the problem has multiplied a thousand times due to their inaction,” the bench said.
The court added that it would impose heavy compensation on the government responsible for every man, woman and child who has lost their life due to dog attacks, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.
