SHILLONG, Feb 10: The High Court of Meghalaya on Monday directed the Shillong Municipal Board to try and ensure that the construction of the shelter for street dogs is completed within the stipulated 30 days’ time, followed by the sheltering of the animals there.
Further, the court directed the state government through the Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department to verify the authenticity of the Director’s statement that shelter for street dogs cannot be provided at the shelter of the department.
While hearing a PIL, a division bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said, “By our order dated 27th November, 2024 in a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning relocation of the zoo in Shillong and for measures to deal with street dog menace in public places, we had expressed our satisfaction with the steps taken by the government for shifting the zoo in Shillong to a location about 35 km from the city.” The court observed that only the birds could not be shifted but they were also likely to be shifted to the new location after the construction of a cage-type enclosure.
The court said the Shillong Municipal Board was directed to file an action taken report with regard to the construction of a shelter to keep the street dogs and it filed an affidavit on February 5, 2025.
“It appears from this affidavit that the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department of the State government has a shelter for dogs and was approached by the Municipal Board to accommodate the animals captured by them,” the court said.
It stated that in response to a letter dated 3rd January, 2025 of the Board, the Director of the Department, “by his letter dated 16th January, 2025, had informed him that the Board was given responsibility to provide a shelter and not the State and that the above facility was being used for animal birth control programme.”
“However, it is very heartening to note that the Municipal Board soon thereafter invited tender for construction of a dog shelter home, has awarded the contract in favour of a party and that construction of the shelter has started which is expected to be completed within the next 30 days,” the court said.
It directed the Municipal Board to ensure as far as possible that the construction is completed within the stipulated time and the street dogs are provided shelter there.
“In the meantime, the State through the Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department is directed to verify the authenticity of the Director’s statement that shelter for street dogs cannot be provided at the shelter of the department and if it is possible to keep the street dogs there, shall cooperate with the Board so that pending start of operation of the Board’s shelter, the street dogs captured by the Board are accommodated in the State’s dog shelter.”
The PIL will be heard again on March 12, 2025.
