Dog lovers, lawyers weigh in on Delhi HC’s ‘feeding dogs makes them territorial’

While hearing the plea of the father of an 18-month-old girl who was mauled to death by a pack of dogs in Tughlak Lane recently, the Delhi High Court expressed concern that feeding stray dogs is making them “territorial”, leading to their aggressive behaviour. The remarks have reignited debate around feeding of strays in residential areas.

“There are designated feeding spots. Giving dogs food anywhere else is incorrect,” says Ashok Nigam, senior advocate at Delhi HC.

Advocate Leena Sharma points out that there are still “many questions about the case that remain unanswered”. She says, “It’s crucial that the HC makes the information, such as CCTV footage, public, to avoid the situation from snowballing.”

This lack of clarity, animal rights activists fear, would lead to feeders being blamed for such attacks. “Dogs are territorial by nature. So, as per directions from the Supreme Court, strays need to be fed at designated spots,” says Sumedha, an animal rights activist, who feels humans need to take responsibility for their own safety, too: “When we know there is a problem, we must ourselves be vigilant about our safety.”

Adding to this, Anjali Gopalan, another animal rights activist and founder of All Creatures Great and Small, says instead of blaming feeders, there is a need to co-opt them into the handling of stray dogs. “Feeders are the people that dogs trust the most. It is they who will be able to get a greater number of dogs sterilised and help in controlling the stray population,” says Gopalan.

Throwing light on the available provisions to ensure the safety of humans while also prioritising animal welfare, Sharma says, “The Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 state that all RWAs and AWAs are responsible for feeding of dogs in designated spots… Even if a dog bites, there is a procedure in place to send it to a correctional facility… Such statements put fears in feeders’ hearts, as they are arbitrarily beaten up by angry mobs looking to vent their rage.”