SC to hear pleas seeking to stop killing of stray dogs

The Supreme Court will on Wednesday resume its hearing on a bunch of pleas filed by animal rights activists as well as a group of people seeking to stop killing of stray dogs.

The activists have challenged the order passed by various civic bodies for culling of stray dogs in Kerala and Mumbai.

The apex court earlier on January 17 held that stray dogs too have a right to live and said these could be eliminated only if they became a menace to the society.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R Banumathi dismissed a plea that all stray dogs should be killed in view rising cases of dog bites over the years, even causing death of people.

The bench called for a balanced approach on the issue.

It said compassion should be shown towards stray dogs but at the same time, these animals could not be allowed to become a menace to the society.