Critically examine the Supreme Court’s approach to holding States and individual feeders accountable for dog-bite incidents. Evaluate the effectiveness of ABC Rules, 2023, in ensuring public safety and animal welfare.

Question

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Context

Dog-bite incidents pose public health risks and ethical challenges.
Supreme Court has emphasized accountability of States, municipal authorities, and individuals.

Judicial Approach

State and Municipal Accountability: Courts, e.g., Animal Welfare Board of India vs. MCD, mandate vaccination, sterilization, and awareness programs.
Individual Responsibility: Persons feeding or maintaining dogs in public spaces must adopt preventive measures and report incidents.
Emphasis on balancing public safety with animal welfare.

ABC Rules, 2023 – Key Features

Institutionalize sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs.
Require structured programs by municipalities and reporting to public health departments.
Ensure animal welfare while reducing human health risks.

Challenges

Uneven implementation across States.
Limited veterinary and infrastructure capacity.
Conflicts between communities feeding dogs and safety mandates.
Data shows dog-bite fatalities concentrated in poorly monitored urban areas.

Policy Measures / Way Forward

Strengthen municipal animal control units and capacity building.
Implement robust monitoring, reporting, and grievance redressal mechanisms.
Encourage community participation and awareness campaigns.
Integrate One Health approaches to harmonize human safety with ethical treatment of animals.

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