The Kerala High Court announced on Wednesday its decision to undertake a monthly review of the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s directives concerning stray dogs throughout the state. This decision arises from the case In Re: Compliance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No(s) 5 of 2025 v The State of Kerala & ors.
Monthly Monitoring by Division Bench
The Division Bench, consisting of Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Preeta AK, stated that the suo motu case will be revisited on the third Thursday of every month at 1:45 PM. This initiative follows the Supreme Court’s May 19 judgment, which mandated all High Courts to initiate suo motu proceedings to ensure continuous oversight of its directives.
Supreme Court’s Directives on Stray Dogs
The Supreme Court’s guidelines encompass several measures, including the sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs, the execution of Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs, the establishment of shelters, and strategies for managing rabid and aggressive dogs. In response, the Kerala government established a high-level monitoring committee to ensure compliance.
Committee’s Role and Reporting
The High Court instructed the committee to evaluate the compliance level of each local authority and submit a report by the 10th of each month. These reports must categorize local bodies based on complete, partial, or no compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives. For partial compliance, the report should elucidate pending actions and reasons, while for non-compliance, the committee must outline any actions taken against the defaulting local authorities.
The Court also sought updates on the formation of stray dog management committees (SDMCs) within each local authority. Justice Nambiar emphasized, “Other aspects include the Standard Operating Procedure concerning dogs, euthanasia, and management of rabid or aggressive animals. Accountability is crucial, and hence, details on the number of euthanized animals in each panchayat are necessary.”
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Accountability and Compliance
The High Court emphasized that any instances of non-compliance identified by the committee without valid justification would lead to the concerned local authorities being summoned before the Court, with potential action against them.
Municipal corporations and local bodies were instructed to confirm their adherence to the Supreme Court’s guidelines, including the establishment of dog shelters, relocation of strays to secure zones, and the ABC program’s execution. Justice Nambiar stressed, “The Court cannot investigate individual panchayats, making your reports vital.”
Kochi Corporation’s Arrangements
During the hearing, the Court specifically questioned the Kochi Corporation regarding its provisions for stray dogs within its jurisdiction. Justice Nambiar advised the corporation to investigate alternative locations as the existing facility at Brahmapuram might be insufficient for the city’s stray dog population. He suggested identifying suitable areas away from residential zones and considered the availability of locations near Willingdon Island.
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The municipal bodies of Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode were directed to gather concrete information on their stray dog management strategies. The next hearing is scheduled for October 15.
