PANAJI
Taking note of several institutions allegedly misinterpreting the Supreme Court’s order and imposing internal bans on feeding stray dogs on their premises, an animal welfare organisation has asked the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) to issue a clear and accurate circular to all educational institutions. The circular should state that any stray animal entering a campus must be relocated to a designated shelter.
The District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), in a communication to the DHE, said some educational institutions have warned staff and students of disciplinary action if they feed stray dogs, claiming this was based on the Supreme Court’s ruling. The organisation said this interpretation is incorrect and goes against both the law and the court’s actual instructions.
The DSPCA said some institutions had issued internal circulars banning the feeding of stray dogs, wrongly stating that such bans were mandated by the court. The organisation stressed that the court has issued no such direction and that these bans result from a “serious misreading” of the order.
The animal welfare group has urged the education department to intervene and issue a proper explanatory circular to prevent cruelty to animals caused by this widespread misunderstanding of the court’s order.
The DSPCA noted that, as per the Supreme Court’s order, institutions are required to relocate stray dogs found on their premises to designated shelters and may seek help from local self-governing bodies for fencing and relocation. It added that educational institutions do not have the authority to prohibit feeding stray dogs or to penalise anyone for doing so.
