Animal Lovers ‘relieved’ At Sc Order On Feeding, Legal News, ET LegalWorld – Legal Firms

MUMBAI: Animal feeders and activists have expressed happiness and “huge relief” while reacting to the latest Supreme Court stay on the order of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court which had prohibited the public feeding of stray dogs. Elated animal lovers said that the latest direction of the apex court has also cleared the earlier confusion created after the Nagpur bench had observed that feeders must first adopt stray dogs and then feed them.

People for Animals (PFA) activist Vijay Rangare said: “We wholeheartedly welcome the latest Supreme Court stay on the earlier HC order; because if we stop the public feeding of stray dogs, then they will either become more aggressive due to starvation or die uncared, unloved on the streets. Hence, the apex court directive to not stop the feeding of stray dogs is much needed. Various animal rights groups and feeders had also recently held a big demonstration at Shivaji Park in Dadar to stress on the need to show compassion towards all animals, by feeding them.”

Member of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) Mitesh Jain of Karuna Trust-Virar, commented: “Recently, many animal-haters, housing societies and even cops in some instances were citing the Nagpur bench order to dissuade animal lovers from feeding dogs in their areas. This had caused a lot of anxiety and confusion among the vast feeders’ community, which has now thankfully been cleared by the Supreme Court stay. I will also reiterate that animal feeders are also being harassed in some places for ‘littering’, although they do ensure that they clean up after feeding the dogs and cats. So, it does not cause any nuisance.”

“Food is the basic right of all, and must never be denied. Also, showing compassion towards animals is our constitutional right under Article 51-A(g),” remarked activist VijayMohanani.