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While hearing a petition filed by residents of Seawoods in Navi, Mumbai V. Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Justice Gautam Patel observed that stray dogs won’t become aggressive if you feed and care for them.

FACTS OF THE CASE :

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) was ordered by the bench to identify and demarcate feeding stations for stray dogs in public places. The petition was brought by six residents of the Seawoods residential complex in Navi Mumbai.

The residents have also contested fines their housing organisation levied on them for feeding stray animals. The residential complex’s manager, Seawoods Estates Limited (SEL), and the petitioners have been at odds over the matter.

The Welfare of Stray Dogs (WSD), an Organisation that has been active in the field for many years, was consulted by the court during the prior hearing.

On the edge of its bounds on the property owned by the local authorities, Seawoods Estate Limited (SEL) has currently located three feeding areas. One plot, a two-acre tree belt, was accepted by the court, but Justice Patel verbally denied the other two plots.

The first was disallowed because it was next to a major road, according to the court, while the second was disallowed because it was next to a school.

JUDGEMENT:

The Bombay High Court stated on Wednesday that if you give stray dogs food and some care, they won’t become hostile. The court was looking for a peaceful resolution between the feuding management of Seawoods Estate Limited and dog lovers from the community.

“If the strays are left unattended, that includes feeding, sterilisation, vaccination or necessary treatment when they are ill or sick, you will have a problem with the strays coming in (the society) looking for food and getting aggressive.This issue is best solved by working together. If you provide food and some amount of care, the dogs will not get aggressive.” , the bench stated.

The court further said that by feeding the stray animals, the strays’ problem in the Bombay High Court was rectified. Nobody can define a dog’s or a tiger’s territorial borders because they are unaware of the limitations of the Seawoods Estate. Strays were a concern we faced in the Bombay High Court. We addressed it by giving them food.

The court did point out that volunteers would be responsible for covering the costs and physical costs associated with feeding, sterilising, immunising, and neutering animals once designated places had been located. It requested a list of these volunteers and postponed the discussion to March 20, 2023.

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JUDGEMENT REVIEW BY SREYA MARY.