Delhi High Court Issues Directions For Feeding Street Dogs

The Delhi High Court has recently issued directions concerning the feeding of street dogs to maintain the peace & harmony of the locality. 

"The Residents of the area also have grave concerns towards the safety of the children and others who live in the area. The residents and the members of the RWA as also the Petitioners have to act in harmony with each other and not in a manner which shall lead to unpleasant circumstances in the colony", the Single Bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh observed. 

In the present matter, the petitioners who are animal lovers & give care to and feed the street dogs have filed a petition against the Residents Welfare Association ("RWA") which, according to them, is creating hindrances in providing the street dogs as also in taking care of them.

The Counsel for the Petitioner submitted that whenever the Petitioners tried to feed the street dogs, the residents caused enormous resistance.  

The Respondent's Counsel, on the other hand, relied on  Citizens for the welfare and protection of Animals and Anr. v. State and Anr. The Court observed that to take care of street dogs, both parties' consensus was required.  He further submitted that as per the said order, a specified spot was to be identified by the parties, and in those identified sites, the street dogs were to be fed by the Petitioners.

Regarding the Respondent's Counsel reliance on  Citizens for the welfare and protection of Animals and Anr. v. State and Anr, the Court observed that clear directions were given to the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to identify suitable spots/sites for feeding street dogs in consultation with the Resident Welfare Associations.  The Bench further observed that there had been no consensus in identifying the suitable spot. The RWA appeared to have been having apprehensions because children and senior residents also roam around in the open area of the block for their recreation. 

Thus, while disposing of the petition, the Bench issued the following directions to maintain the locality's peace & harmony: 

• AWBI shall send two representatives on 8th March 2021 at 3:00 pm. The said members of the AWBI should hold a meeting at an appropriate spot in E-2 Block, Vasant Kunj. The said members would intimate the Petitioners and the RWA office bearers of the said spot through the two counsels who appear today on their mobile numbers.
• During the meeting, the members of AWBI and RWA shall interact with the residents in the area as also the Petitioners and identify a spot, which is not used by children, senior citizens, and other residents, so that the said specified spot can be used for feeding and taking care of street dogs, etc.
• Once the said spot is identified, the Petitioners would feed and take care of the street dogs at that particular spot. No hindrance shall be caused to the Petitioners in carrying out any activities regarding the street dogs at the said spot.
• The SHO of the area concerned shall also be present when the meeting would be held between the RWA and Petitioners, along with representatives of AWBI. It shall be the SHO's duty to ensure that peace and harmony are maintained amongst the residents of the area so that no harassment is caused to the Petitioners by RWA and vice versa.

Case Title: Urvashi Vashisht & Ors v. Residents Welfare Association & Ors