The Kerala High Court has had enough. With over 100,000 people bitten and 16 dead in just six months, Justice CS Dias made it clear on Monday: when it comes to humans versus stray dogs, human life cannot be a second priority.
Presiding over a clutch of petitions, including one by a law student pushing for implementation of sterilization norms under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, the Court issued a no-nonsense directive. It ordered the creation of district-level committees within a month to handle compensation claims from victims of stray dog attacks.
The judge didn’t hold back:
“Only when you’re bitten by a dog or lose someone will you understand. I don’t want to be terrorized when I walk the road.”
That road, the Court said, is for people first—not packs of aggressive strays.
The newly ordered district panels—comprising the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, the District Medical Officer, and the Joint Director of the Local Self Government Department—will be tasked with dealing with both fresh complaints and those pending before the now-defunct Justice Siri Jagan Committee (previously formed under the Supreme Court’s watch).
Complaints can be filed physically or online via DLSAs and Taluk Legal Services Committees. The panels are expected to follow the same model used by the Siri Jagan Committee, ensuring continuity for victims.
Justice Dias acknowledged the need for balance.
“Animal rights are important. But they can’t trump the fundamental rights of human beings. Co-existence, yes—but not at the cost of safety and life.”
The State, meanwhile, admitted to a stunning mismatch between funds and action. Despite ₹98 crore allocated to the Local Self Government Department for dog control in 2024–25, only ₹13 crore was spent, resulting in just 15,767 sterilizations—an insignificant dent in a population of 50 lakh stray dogs.
The Court wasn’t amused. It demanded that the Principal Secretary file an affidavit in two weeks detailing Kerala’s actual stray dog numbers, the total bite incidents, deaths, and how many patients received anti-rabies treatment.
Justice Dias also hit pause on any action under Rule 8 of the 2023 Animal Husbandry Rules, which allows euthanasia of incurably ill or mortally wounded dogs—ordering no such steps until further notice. This interim hold aligns with earlier rulings from both the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court.
To complete the picture, the Court asked the State to provide data on animal cruelty crimes under Sections 295 and 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The matter will return to the courtroom on August 19. In the meantime, Senior Advocate Deepak P will assist as amicus curiae.
A stray dog problem isn’t new. But for the Kerala High Court, the leash on administrative inaction has clearly been yanked tight.
