SC to states: Vaccinate stray dogs under Animal Welfare Board’s supervision

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed all states to sterilize and vaccinate stray dogs under supervision of Animal Welfare Board of India.

The Supreme Court passed interim order on a petition of Animal rights groups against the culling of dogs by some state government.

The apex court said that vaccination and sterilization should be done according to the rules of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and no animal rights group should interfere in the exercise.

In November 2015, the Supreme Court had allowed the municipal authorities in the country to eliminate stray dogs which are irretrievably ill or mortally wounded.

The apex court is hearing a bunch of pleas including Animal Welfare Board of India’s petition to decide the issue of primacy of laws framed by Centre and state governments in this regard.

One of the pleas was filed against Kerala High Court decision approving the decision to cull stray dogs by the Thiruvananthapuram civic body. (ANI)