The Kerala High Court ruled on Wednesday that the state government has a duty to protect its citizens from attacks by wild dogs.

Judges A.K. Jayashankaran Nambiar and Gopinath P.J. Judges, in a special session convened after reports of an increase in dog bites across the state, identified and contained citizens from wild dog attacks. He said it is the state’s duty to protect its citizens. Keep dogs out of public places.
On the enquiry of the Court regarding the steps taken by the State to tackle the issue, Additional Advocate General Asok M Cherian submitted that State Administration has already taken certain decisions, and a detailed report of the steps taken shall be furnished before the Court before 16th September.
The Court had previously, in a similar matter, issued directions on the rehabilitation and sheltering of community dogs and implementation of the Animal Birth Control Procedure to check the proliferation of community dogs. The Court has directed the State Government to include steps taken by it pursuant to the Court`s earlier order in the report while narrating the steps currently proposed.

When the matter was taken up today, Amicus Curiae brought to the notice of the Court various instances of unauthorised killing of community dogs. Thereby, the Court has directed the State Government to issue public instructions through State Police Chief, clarifying that the citizenry should refrain from taking law into their own hands by inflicting unnecessary harm on community dogs as the State Administration is taking necessary steps to contain the situation. This issue was released for further consideration on September 16th.