Recurrence of dog bite incidents in institutional areas reflect systemic failure: SC

Recurrence of dog bite incidents in institutional areas reflect systemic failure: SC

New Delhi, The Supreme Court on Friday said recurrence of dog bite incidents, particularly within institutional areas, reflected not only administrative apathy but also a "systemic failure" to secure these premises from preventable hazards.

Recurrence of dog bite incidents in institutional areas reflect systemic failure: SC

The apex court directed forthwith relocation of stray canines from institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals, railway stations and bus stand to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

A three-judge special bench comprising justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria referred to several incidents of dog bite in schools, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and railway stations.

The bench said despite the statutory framework of the Animal Birth Control Rules, the existence of various municipal byelaws, guidelines, standard operating procedures, the practical outcomes have remained suboptimal.

"The persistence of the problem calls for a holistic and coordinated approach... to ensure that the constitutional mandate of safeguarding the right to life under Article 21 is not compromised by administrative inaction or inefficiency," it said.

The bench passed a slew of directions in the interest of public safety, health and management of stray dogs.

It said the administrative heads of such institutions shall, through their respective local/municipal authorities, under the overall supervision of the district magistrate concerned, ensure that the premises are secured by adequate fencing, boundary walls, gates and such other structural or administrative measures as may be necessary to prevent the ingress of stray dogs.

It said the exercise be completed preferably within eight weeks.

The bench said management of every educational institution, hospital, sports complex, bus stand and railway station identified shall designate a nodal officer responsible for the upkeep and cleanliness of the premises and for ensuring that stray dogs do not enter or inhabit the campus.

"The details of the said officer shall be displayed prominently at the entrance and notified to the jurisdictional municipal body/authority," it said.

The bench said the local municipal authorities and panchayats shall carry out regular inspections, at least once in every three months, of all such premises to ensure that no stray dog habitats exist within or in the immediate vicinity of these institutions.

"It shall be the responsibility of the jurisdictional municipal body/authority to forthwith remove every stray dog found within the premises of an educational institution, hospital , sports complex, bus stand/depot or railway station and to shift such animal/s to a designated shelter, after due sterilisation and vaccination...," the bench said.

It said stray dogs so picked up shall not be released back to the same location from which they were picked up.

"We have consciously directed the non-release of such stray dogs to the same location from which they were picked up, as permitting the same would frustrate the very effect of the directions issued to liberate such institutional areas from the presence of stray dogs," it said.

The bench directed the management of stadiums and sports complexes to ensure deployment of personnel specifically tasked with around the clock vigil against the entry or habitation of stray dogs.

It said railway authorities, state transport corporations and municipal authorities shall ensure that public-transport premises are effectively secured and maintained so as to prevent the habitation or movement of stray dogs there.

It directed the Animal Welfare Board of India to issue within four weeks detailed standard operating procedures for prevention of dog bites and management of stray dogs in institutional premises to be uniformly adopted across India.

The bench directed the chief secretaries of all states and UTs to file their affidavits of compliance within eight weeks.

It said affidavits shall specifically indicate the steps taken to secure institutional premises besides the mechanism put in place for regular oversight inspection, coordination and reporting with municipal authorities/Panchayati Raj institutions.

The bench said the affidavits shall also indicate the availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in all government medical facilities.

The bench said the Centre shall file a comprehensive affidavit of compliance within eight weeks indicating the steps taken to secure such institutions, the mechanism evolved for coordination with authorities and measures adopted for ensuring the availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in central government hospitals and healthcare facilities.

It asked the Animal Welfare Board of India to file a consolidated report indicating the nationwide status of sterilisation and vaccination drives, as well as the formulation of uniform standard operating procedures for prevention of dog-bite incidents in institutional areas within eight weeks.

The bench said any reported non-compliance of any of its directions shall be viewed very seriously and may invite penalties/consequences including but not limited to the initiation of suo motu contempt proceedings against the erring officials.

It posted the matter for further hearing on January 13.

The apex court is hearing a suo motu case, initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital.

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