1
To,
The Hon’ble Chief Justice of India,
Supreme Court of India,
New Delhi
Dated : ………………………
Subject:- Question of life and death – Prayer for your intervention to give relief from the
situation created by the Govt. authorities of states by taking illegal, unscientific decision of
putting ban on feeding stray animals and birds and relocation of stray dogs, cows and illegal
decision to build up pounds to confine stray dogs in violation of law and solemn Order passed
by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India which in result causing cruelty to voiceless animals
and putting lives of animal caregivers in threat majority of whom are women and children.
Respected Sir,
I, the undersigned would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that the order of
the Hon’ble Supreme Court passed on 09.05.2024 which prohibits culling, relocation and
impounding of stray dogs. Your Lordships have specifically directed all States and Union
Territories to act in terms of the mandate and spirit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act, 1960 and Animal Birth Control(ABC) Rules, 2023.
We have fought this case since 2009 with the hope justice will be delivered. For fifteen years
while this case was going on, we as animal lovers lived under fear and anxiety, bearing
atrocities that were inflicted on our animals and us on a daily basis, till our hopes were
materialized by your Judgment in the matter. Your order clearly upheld the ABC Rules 2023
as the benchmark above all other methods States and Corporations, including AWBI (Animal
Welfare Board of India) were experimenting on dogs.
Your order in Civil Appeal No 5387 of 2014 guarantees five rights of animals :-
i) Freedom from hunger, thirst, malnutrition
ii) Freedom from fear & distress
iii)Freedom from physical & thermal discomfort
iv)Freedom from pain, injury & disease
v)Freedom to express normal pattern of behaviours.
2
These orders brought us hope, sense of safety and an assurance that we still lived in a country
where justice is delivered. But all this was short-lived. It’s not be an year that your Judgment
came and here we have municipality and state governments flaunting the law in contempt and
going openly against the law and the solemn Orders of the Hon’ble Court.
Recently Delhi, Ujjain Municipal Corporation of Madhya Pradesh, Bombay Municipal
Corporation (BMC), the State of Karnataka are disobeying the solemn order of the Hon’ble
Court.
Ujjain Municipal Corporation has estimated a budget of Rs. 50 lakh to build up dog pound to
confine community, stray dogs which is in violation of the solemn order of the Hon’ble Court,
unscientific, against the guidelines provided by World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Legislative Assembly Speaker and Legislative Chairman, Karnataka has taken a decision
to set up a dog pound at the Vidhana Soudha to confine community dogs of that area.
The most brutal and horrible decision has been taken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC). BMC has put a ban on feeding stray dogs, cats, cows, birds and imposing
fine on feeders while according to the ABC Rules, Municipalities are entrusted with the duty
to designate feeding zone.
Similarly an inhumane, illegal decision has been taken by the Chief Minister of Delhi. She
ordered Delhi Municipal Corporation to put a ban on feeding stray dogs, cows, birds and
imposing fine of Rs.200-500 and challan has been sent by MCD to feeders. The Chief Minister
of Delhi has also ordered to relocate community/stray dogs and cows. She also ordered to build
up pound for dogs in disobedience of the order of the Hon’ble Court and opposed to ABC
Rules,2023.
Dogs are being brutally rounded up by RWAs and Corporations at the behest of statements
made by leaders such as Delhi CM and others. Dogs are mercilessly beaten up, killed. We are
not even able to trace out the dogs which are relocated. We do not know where they are sent,
are they alive or not.
Besides this due to these ad hoc and illegal activities the lives of animals and their care givers
are under grave threat and daily serious life threatening crimes are being committed against
animals and their care givers. Mobs are attacking us openly and in large numbers because these
States and Municipalities have declared a campaign against the animals and their caregivers.
Police just watches. We can provide evidences that will bring chills down your spine.
Women feeders and caregivers are molested, given threat to be raped. Lives of Children who
are also involved in animal welfare activities are in threat. Children are also not spared by mob.
Rights of women and children are also violated.
Your Lordship, we are simple citizens who understand that the following laws and provisions
protect our rights as caregivers to Mother Nature :-
3
i) Article 19 guarantees fundamental freedoms to citizens of India which includes the
right to practice any profession, occupation, trade or business. As animal lovers we
are practicing our occupation of service to animals which is now being violated by
the States.
ii) 51A (g) imposes fundamental duties upon citizens to protect and improve the
natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have
compassion for living creatures. Dogs, cats, birds, trees is part of our ecosystem. To
protect them we are working for their welfare and observing our fundamental duties
guaranteed by the Constitution.
iii) 48A provides that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment
and to safeguard the forests and wildlife in the country.
iv) Articles 25,26,27,28 guarantees religious rights of citizens. Feeding animals like
cows, dogs, cats, birds etc is a part of religious practice in many religions. It is an
attack on religious sentiment and violating religious rights of citizens by State
authority.
v) In Civil Appeal No 5387 of 2014 (AWBI –Vs- Nagaraja & Others) Hon’ble Court
guarantees five rights of animals :-
a) Freedom from hunger, thirst, malnutrition
b) Freedom from fear & distress
c) Freedom from physical & thermal discomfort
d) Freedom from pain, injury & disease
e) Freedom to express normal pattern of behaviours.
vi) The Judgment on 09.04.2024 by Your Lordships which prohibits culling of stray
dogs, relocation of them from their territory and issues direction upon State
authorities to act according to the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act,1960 and Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
Now we understand that these are the very foundation of this Country and Constitution and
can’t be changed or dishonored. But we feel terrified when our state governments openly flout
them and support hooligans to subdue us when we try to serve the helpless.
We do not have the money or resources to keep coming back to High Courts or Apex Court to
submit each matter again and again. There are hundreds of cases of mob lynching and attacks
4
on animals and their care givers every day from all over the country, that neither the police nor
the administration cares to address. On the other hand in most cases it is encouraged to please
the RWAs for votes. This has been the case in Delhi and is being run like a campaign by the
CM office in cahoots with RWAs as we write this to you. The Court rooms will be filled with
each of these cases if ever they could be filed.
So we approach your good self to intervene and reprimand the abovementioned enemies of law
and order sitting on high posts. We believe we are rightfully doing our duty towards the Nation,
our sacred religion and Constitution by protecting and caring for environment and flora fauna.
And yet we live like secondary citizens who in the eyes of these people are committing grave
crimes by serving these helpless, speechless, by feeding them, providing medical aid and shade,
water and protection.
We are deeply subjugated and do not know which door to knock for justice.
And if you are unable to take suo moto action then kindly let us know how we should relieve
ourselves of these godforsaken lives where each day we see these animals suffering at the
behest of these leaders.
Please help us! We have nowhere else left to go. We want an end of this horrible situation
created by State authorities which is causing physical and mental torture everyday to poor
animals and us, the caregivers of these poor animals.
Sincerely Yours
Name:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
