The Supreme Court on Thursday made sharp observations during the hearing of a case related to the management of stray dogs, stating that at the next hearing it would screen a video and ask the parties concerned to reflect on the meaning of humanity.
A Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing the matter when senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing in the case, informed the Court that the special three-judge Bench scheduled to hear the matter on Thursday had been cancelled. The Bench said the next hearing would now take place on January 7.
Court Responds to ‘Inhuman Treatment’ Claim
During the proceedings, Kapil Sibal raised serious concerns over what he described as “inhuman treatment” of stray dogs by civic authorities. He submitted that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had framed certain rules in the interim that were completely contradictory to earlier directions of the Court.
Sibal urged the Bench to take up the matter urgently, arguing that authorities were moving ahead without adequate infrastructure.
“What is being done is extremely inhuman. They do not even have proper shelters for the dogs,” he said.
‘We Will Show a Video’
Responding to these submissions, Justice Sandeep Mehta remarked:
“On the next date, for your convenience, we will show a video and ask you what humanity actually means.”
Sibal replied that he too would be prepared to show a video depicting what was happening on the ground. He cautioned the Court that authorities might enforce the new rules before the next hearing and remove dogs without having sufficient shelter facilities in place.
Court Allows Authorities to Proceed
Justice Vikram Nath responded calmly, stating:
“That is alright, Mr. Sibal. Let them do it. We will examine the matter.”
Background of the Case
On November 7, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of what it described as a “dangerous rise” in dog-bite incidents, particularly in institutional areas such as educational institutions, hospitals, bus terminals and railway stations.
The Court had directed authorities to ensure that stray dogs in such areas are relocated to designated shelters after proper sterilisation and vaccination, and clearly ruled that dogs removed from these institutional zones should not be released back into the same locations.
The upcoming hearing is expected to further examine the balance between public safety concerns and humane treatment of animals, a question that has sparked intense debate across the country.
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