SC pulls up govt staff for feeding stray dogs, warns of strict orders for violations in public office

The Supreme Court on Monday strongly criticised government employees and public sector workers for feeding and encouraging stray dogs within office premises, despite earlier orders restricting feeding to designated spots. The court said it will issue specific directions for government institutions and PSUs where such violations continue.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria observed that several employees were disregarding its orders, creating public safety risks amid rising dog-bite incidents. The bench was addressing a suo motu case on stray dog management and humane control measures under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.

During the hearing, the court noted that most states and union territories had failed to submit compliance reports on the implementation of ABC Rules, despite repeated reminders. Only West Bengal, Telangana, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi had earlier filed responses. The court also allowed victims of dog-bite incidents to join the case, waiving the deposit condition.

While the court appreciated Kerala’s representation through its principal secretary, it warned that chief secretaries of states could again be summoned in case of non-compliance. The bench emphasised the need to balance humane treatment of animals with citizens’ safety, directing the Animal Welfare Board of India to assist with a compliance checklist before issuing further orders on Friday.