To hate and treat stray dogs with cruelty can never be an acceptable approach: Bombay HC

To hate and treat stray dogs with cruelty can never be an acceptable approach from persons of civil society, the Bombay High Court remarked while asking a housing society to amicably resolve issues with one of the residents over designating feeding spots for dogs.

A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and R N Laddha on Tuesday gave the example of lawyers and judges taking care of many stray dogs and cats in the High Court building complex.

Take a round of the high court building have you seen the number of cats they are sometimes sitting on the dais too. You take them (cats) anywhere they come back, Justice Kulkarni said.

These animals are also living beings and a part of our society we have to take care of them, the court added. He said a judge, now retired, used to carry biscuits with him and dogs would follow him.

Everything non-co-operative happens in a cooperative society, Justice Kulkarni said. The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Paromita Purthan, who claims to be an animal lover taking care of 18 stray dogs in her society at suburban Kandivali.

Purthan claimed she was not being permitted to feed the dogs and care for their requirements and a designated area for feeding the dogs is not being provided.

We intend to sound a word of caution to the members of the managing committee and the other members of the society that to hate stray dogs and/or treat them with cruelty can never be an acceptable approach, from persons of civil society, as an act of cruelty to such animals would be against the Constitutional ethos and the statutory provisions, the court stated in its order on Monday.

This apart, there cannot be any impediment or any restraint caused by the society, much less by using any coercive methods by appointing bouncers so as to discourage or to prevent the petitioner or any animal lover from taking care of the stray animals.