On 31st July, Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognisance of the growing stray dog menace and rise in bite cases across the state. Notably, the Supreme Court of India also took suo motu cognisance of the issue following disturbing reports of the death of a 6-year-old girl due to rabies infection in Delhi.
The Division Bench of Justice Kuldeep Mathur and Justice Ravi Chirania noted with concern that not only dogs and cows, but even camels, goats and buffaloes were making highways unsafe for citizens.
The Court relied on a recent news article that documented two bite incidents within a week. The Court further stated that many more such cases go unreported and cited alarming figures coming from across India. The Bench observed that uncontrolled population growth and neglect by pet owners have worsened the crisis. The Court added that abandoned animals were contributing to a dangerous public environment.
The State Government informed the Court that the Rajasthan Road Safety Bill, 2022, addresses these concerns. The Court has issued notices to the concerned officials in the matter and the hearing will commence on 11th August 2025.
OpIndia is doing a series on stray dog menace which can be checked here.
