LI Network
Published on: November 17, 2023 at 01:50 IST
The Karnataka High Court has directed the Karnataka government to take comprehensive measures to publicize guidelines on feeding street animals.
Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit emphasized that the formulated guidelines would lose their purpose unless effectively publicized.
The Division Bench highlighted the significance of wide publicity for the guidelines, stating, “It cannot be much disputed that unless steps are taken to give wide publicity to these Guidelines, their effective implementation may not happen and that would defeat the very purpose for which the Government has come out with the same.”
To enhance awareness, the Court suggested various methods of publicizing the guidelines, including uploading them on official websites, distributing pamphlets and placards in busy areas, and exploring opportunities for screenings in theaters and television networks.
The directive came during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition addressing the regulation of the life and movement of street dogs and the implementation of the Animal Welfare Board of India’s (AWBI) Guidelines on Pet and Street/Stray Dogs, framed in 2015.
In response to the Court’s earlier request on October 5 regarding the guidelines on feeding street dogs, the State government submitted an affidavit attaching guidelines formulated by the Karnataka Animal Welfare Board in December 2022. These guidelines address various issues related to feeding stray dogs.
Expressing concerns about the impact of feeding stray dogs in public places, the Court cited one of the guidelines, emphasizing that residents of an area are responsible for ensuring the sterilization and regular vaccination of street dogs by the local authority.
The guidelines also provide a dispute resolution process, allowing individuals with grievances about people feeding dogs to engage in dialogue through the Animal Welfare Committee.
If issues persist, the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) may escalate the matter to the District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) for a prompt resolution.
Highlighting the importance of public awareness, the Court concluded that unless these guidelines receive wide publicity, their purpose would be defeated. Consequently, the Court directed the government to undertake measures for the extensive publicization of the guidelines.
Citation: Ramesh Naik L v State of Karnataka (2023)
