Taking note of the “alarming rise in dog-bite incidents,” the Supreme Court has directed that all educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations, and similar public premises must be fenced and kept free of stray dogs.

A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria, hearing the suo motu case on stray dogs, held that it is the responsibility of local self-government bodies to pick up stray dogs from such locations, ensure their vaccination and sterilisation, and shift them to designated shelters. Importantly, the Court mandated that these dogs must not be released back into the same areas, observing that such a move would frustrate the very purpose of liberating such institutions from the presence of stray dogs.

The Bench also ordered periodic inspections by local authorities to ensure compliance and extended its directions to the removal of stray cattle and other animals from roads and highways to safeguard public safety.