On Friday, the Bombay High Court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to establish an Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to address ongoing issues with stray dogs in a Kandivali-based housing society. This intervention comes as part of a broader effort to manage the challenges associated with stray dog populations and their interactions with residents.
The court’s division bench, consisting of Justices Mahesh Sonak and Kamal Khata, clarified that it would refrain from assessing the specific causes of canine aggression or the methods for evaluating such behaviour. This stance emerged from a contentious case where dog feeders argued that the society’s policies were exacerbating the problem by prohibiting feeding and using intimidation tactics against the animals. Justice Sonak noted, “We cannot assess if a dog is aggressive or what triggers such aggression. These issues are best left to the expert committee to address.”
This latest ruling follows a previous decision in April last year, which condemned the use of sticks to scare or threaten stray dogs as a form of cruelty. This earlier ruling was prompted by a petition from the RNA Royal Park Co-operative Housing Society, which sought to curb what it described as indiscriminate feeding practices leading to a surge in dog-related incidents within the society. The housing society had argued that the influx of strays due to unregulated feeding had led to increased aggression and attacks, particularly on children and the elderly. In contrast, dog feeders, represented by advocate Paromita Puthran, contended that they faced restrictions on feeding practices and were even subjected to attempts by the society to exclude them from the premises.
On Wednesday, counsel Rahul Sarda for the society reiterated concerns about a spike in dog bites and aggressive incidents, attributing these issues to the growing stray dog population. Meanwhile, the feeder’s legal representative highlighted that the society’s actions were in violation of prior court orders and hindered attempts to establish designated feeding areas. The Bombay High Court’s order mandates the BMC to form the AWC within 15 days, instructing the committee to thoroughly investigate the complaints from both the society and the caregivers. The AWC is also required to resolve the matter within a further 15-day period.
