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'Why not feed them in your house': SC asks petitioner over feeding of strays
"Why don't you feed them in your own house?" Justice Nath asked the petitioner’s counsel.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday while hearing a plea alleging harassment over feeding of stray dogs in Noida asked the petitioner, "Why don't you feed them in your own house?"
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observation during a hearing of a plea challenging a March 2025 order of the Allahabad High Court. The petitioner alleged they were being harassed for feeding community dogs in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
"Why don't you feed them in your own house?" Justice Nath asked the petitioner’s counsel. “We should leave every lane, every road open for these large-hearted people? There is all space for these animals, no space for humans."
Rule 20 of the ABC Rules, 2023 places the responsibility for feeding community animals on resident welfare associations (RWAs), apartment owners’ associations, or local bodies, mandating designated feeding points for stray animals. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the petitioner was merely complying with the rule and added that while such feeding points were being created in Greater Noida, Noida authorities had yet to implement them.
However, the bench remained skeptical. “We give you a suggestion - open a shelter in your own house. Feed every dog in the community in your own house,” the court said.
The conversation took a practical turn as the bench highlighted safety concerns linked to free-roaming street dogs. “You go on cycling in the morning?” one of the judges asked. “Try doing it and see what happens.”
The petitioner’s counsel said he took morning walks and encountered dogs frequently. In response, the bench pointed out, “Morning walkers are also at risk. Cycle riders and two-wheelers are at greater risk.”
With similar concerns echoed in an ongoing case, the top court tagged the current plea with the earlier one for a consolidated hearing.
The issue stems from an order by the Allahabad High Court, which had attempted to strike a balance between the rights of animals and public safety. "While protection of street dogs would be warranted... at the same time, the authorities will have to bear in mind the concern of the common man, such that their movement on streets are not hampered by attacks by these street dogs," the high court noted.
Acknowledging a rise in reported dog attacks and growing concerns among pedestrians, the high court directed authorities to act with "due sensitivity" toward both strays and human residents. The court ultimately disposed of the plea, directing that the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the ABC Rules be implemented while ensuring the safety of the public.
