Delhi HC seeks city govt.’s stand on vaccination of stray dogs

Authorities have failed to arrange vaccine for canine virus, says plea

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the city government to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking vaccination of stray dogs in the Capital against diseases such as canine distemper virus.

“It appears that stray dogs in the city are a neglected lot and it is necessary to look after them not only as a measure of showing respect for life but also because that will be directly impacting the life of the human population in the city,” a Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta said.

The Bench asked the Delhi government and the municipal corporation to come up with a “clear and considered stand”.

The petition filed by advocate advocate Rahul Mohod stated that street dogs are dying a painful and unnatural deaths due to the deadly “canine distemper and parvo virus”.

Mr. Mohod said that despite knowing the reality, the Delhi government and other authorities have failed to arrange the vaccine for the virus. He said that the virus is highly contagious via inhalation for street animals and can survive in the environment (outside an animal/host) for more than six months.

There is no treatment available for the virus, and it only transmits from one infected stray dog to another, he said. The petition said that the affected animal also needs RT-PCR test to detect the canine distemper.

The petition stressed that the infected dog dies an “excruciating painful death after suffering acutely”. It causes severe illness in the host by attacking multiple body system that is difficult to treat, the plea said.