Meghalaya High Court seeks SC permission to retain PIL on stray dog menace

Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has sought the Supreme Court’s permission to retain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the stray dog menace in the state, highlighting the unique risks posed by aggressive stray dogs to public safety.

This request comes as the Supreme Court has recently directed the transfer of similar PILs from various high courts for centralised consideration.

In its order on August 30, a division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh noted that while some issues may overlap with cases in other states, Meghalaya faces a particularly dangerous situation due to the presence of “biter” dogs that attack people in public spaces, sometimes causing serious injuries.

The court emphasized that stray dogs in Meghalaya should be captured by authorities, medically treated, vaccinated, and kept under observation before being released.

“Freeing such dogs without ensuring they are no longer aggressive poses grave danger to the public,” the order stated.

The bench directed the Registrar General to make a formal application to the Supreme Court, seeking guidance on retaining the PIL, stating that the case’s distinctive nature warrants continued consideration at the state level.