By Arun Pratap Singh
my uttarakhand news Bureau
DEHRADUN, 3 Jan: A large number of animal welfare groups and the animal lover citizens across the country will stage a nationwide protest on Sunday against a recent Supreme Court order on the management of stray dogs, which has triggered widespread outrage among animal lovers. In Dehradun, the protest will be held by assembling at Bikanerwala near Bindal Pul on Chakrata Road at 3 pm Sunday, after which demonstrators will carry forward their protest in the area.
The organisers have described the situation as a ‘do or die’ moment for animal lovers, stating that the issue concerns the very survival of community animals. The protest is being held ahead of the next hearing in the Supreme Court scheduled for January 7, which activists fear could further tighten directions on the removal of stray dogs from public spaces.
It may be recalled that, the Supreme Court, while hearing matters related to public safety and dog-bite incidents, has recently directed authorities to remove stray dogs from sensitive and public places such as schools, hospitals, transport hubs and other public institutions. The court has emphasised relocation of dogs to shelters after sterilisation and vaccination and has asked civic bodies and state governments to ensure that these animals are not released back into the same areas.
The animal welfare organisations across the country have strongly criticised the directions, terming them cruel, impractical and contrary to the Animal Birth Control Rules, which mandate sterilisation, vaccination and return of community dogs to their original territories. The activists argue that large-scale removal and confinement of stray dogs will lead to overcrowded shelters, spread of disease, severe stress to animals and, in many cases, death due to lack of infrastructure and resources.
Protesters have warned that if implemented in its present form, the order could affect millions of stray dogs nationwide, effectively pushing them out of their habitats and exposing them to inhumane conditions. They have demanded that humane, scientific and long-term solutions such as intensified sterilisation drives, vaccination, public awareness and responsible community participation be prioritised instead of mass relocation.
The Dehradun protest is part of similar demonstrations being held simultaneously in several major cities, as animal lovers urge authorities and the judiciary to reconsider and adopt compassionate approaches that balance public safety with animal welfare.
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