The Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court, on Wednesday, directed Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to check the element of collaring among the stray dogs. While hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) about stray dogs, the Division bench of Justice Sunil Shukre and Justice M W Chandwani heard submission of Dhantoli Nagrik Mandal.

Adv Aradhya Pande, appearing for the Mandal, submitted before the court that the complaint made by the Mandal is still not considered or acted upon by the NMC. In the complaint, the mandal had stated that certain people had started bogus collaring of stray dogs to ensure that such canines were not picked up by the authorities.

On being asked by the court in personal capacity about the steps taken by the civic body, NMC’s Health Officer Gajendra Mahalle informed it that the action had been taken. However, the court being dissatisfied by the method

of action, directed the NMC to act upon the aforesaid complaint. Further, Adv Pande pointed out that the complaint about bogus collaring of stray dogs had not been dealt with appropriately by the NMC in its affidavit as per law.

Adv Pande submitted that collaring of stray dogs by activists merely because the dogs were fed, sterilised and vaccinated was impermissible as per law. The court, while appreciating the submission, directed the NMC to enquire about the element of collaring as the law requires those dogs to be collared which are issued a token after registration with the local authority and a record is kept about such collared dogs. The said procedure is as per Rule 8 of the Animal Birth Control Rules.