Mangaluru Activists Protest Supreme Court Directive on Stray Dog Relocation

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Mangaluru : On January 4, a group of dog lovers, caretakers, and animal welfare activists staged a silent protest near the Town Hall in Mangaluru. The demonstration was organized to voice opposition against a recent Supreme Court directive that instructs States to relocate street dogs into shelters. The protesters highlighted the bond between the community and these animals, using banners with slogans like “Every homeless dog was someone’s puppy” and “Our community animals are our animals.”

Suma Nayak of the Animal Care Trust, who is actively involved in the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program in Dakshina Kannada, criticized the apex court’s order. She argued that the directive to move dogs to shelters to prevent dog bites “defies logic” and is ultimately detrimental to the animals. According to the activists, the focus should remain on mass sterilization and mass vaccination rather than isolation in shelters, which may not be a sustainable or humane solution.

The protesters also expressed frustration over the legal process, stating that the Supreme Court has not provided sufficient opportunity for intervention applications filed by animal welfare organizations to be heard. Prominent local figures, including activist Harish Rajkumara and well-known animal caretaker Rajani Shetty, joined the volunteers who recently conducted a street dog census in Mangaluru to demand a more scientific and compassionate approach to street animal management.