A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the State government to explore the possibility of entrusting the district administrations with the power to inquire into complaints of infringement on animal rights and cruelty to animals.
The Bench comprising Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Gopinath P. issued the directive on a suo motu case initiated against the backdrop of incidents of cruelty to animals reported from various parts of the State. The district administration could inquire into the complaints of residents that they were being prevented from keeping pets by residential associations.
Adoption camps
The court also directed the State government to explore the possibility of promoting and holding animal adoption camps throughout the State, at periodic intervals of not less than thrice a year, where persons could be encouraged to adopt animals abandoned by their owners.
The court directed the State government to inform it of the steps taken to reconstitute and render functional the State Animal Welfare Board.
The State government should issue directions to the local self-government institutions to comply with their respective statutory obligations on provision of animal shelters, dog pounds, cattle sheds and so on, the court ordered.
The court asked the State government to upgrade the facilities at veterinary hospitals and allied infrastructural facilities available across the State.
Awareness campaign
The Animal Welfare Board of India was directed to immediately draw up a feasible action plan towards implementing an awareness campaign to educate and sensitise citizens to the rights of animals and the corresponding duties and obligations.
The court also directed the State government to file a report on the action taken on a complaint filed by the owner of a dog, killed in a gruesome manner on the Adimalathura beach in Thiruvananthapuram.
Amici curiae
The court appointed Senior Advocates S. Ramesh Babu and T.C. Suresh Menon, as amici curiae in the case.
The court observed that it was very important to infuse a culture within the State that satisfies the constitutional obligation to protect animals and to improve the general attitude of citizens towards animals.
