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Land availability issues: Kerala HC moots common stray dog shelters for civic body clusters

Land availability issues: Kerala HC moots common stray dog shelters for civic body clusters

The Kerala High Court suggested establishing common stray dog shelters shared by two or three local bodies due to land availability issues. A bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and A K Preetha offered the proposal during suo motu proceedings initiated following directions from the Supreme Court of India. The court stated that local self-government institutions cannot cite public opposition from residents as a reason for non-compliance and warned that failing to set up shelters could lead to contempt proceedings before the Supreme Court of India. Counsel for Animal Rescue Centre, Kochi, alleged that stray dogs picked up from public institutions for animal birth control procedures were kept indefinitely in shelters instead of being released at suitable outside locations. The court observed that Supreme Court of India guidelines prohibit keeping such dogs in shelters indefinitely. Kochi Corporation counsel undertook to furnish details regarding the number of dogs picked up and their release locations, alongside information on the animal birth control procedure followed and the competence of the personnel performing it.

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