IIT campus can’t turn ‘dog park’, says court

IIT DID BEST FOR DOGS ON CAMPUS: REPORT

IIT campus can’t turn ‘dog park’, says court

HC Asks Govt, PFCI For Plan To Relocate Dogs

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:19.09.2021

Ensure that IITMadras does not become a dumping ground for abandoned dogs, the Madras high court told Tamil Nadu government on Friday.

“At the end of the day, IIT campus is not a dog park, nor a zoo, nor is it the IIT’s core business to devote its resources or energy towards maintaining dogs including pets that residents in the city may abandon at the IIT gates,” the court said.

The court then directed animal welfare organisation People for Cattle in India (PFCI), the state authorities and the Chennai corporation to decide on a course of action that may be followed both to ensure that IIT is rid of the menace of too many dogs on its campus and the ultimate treatment of the dogs taken from the campus.

The first bench of chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu passed the order on a PIL moved by PFCI alleging illtreatment of more than 100 dogs that are captured on IIT-M campus and lodged in three ‘dog parks’ in the premises. Pointing out the death of 49 dogs on the campus in a span of six months, the petitioner alleged that the IIT-M had failed to take care of the animals.

Refusing to accept the argument, the bench said the Animal Welfare Board had filed papers, including a report, pursuant to continual visits. According to such a report, IIT-M has done its best for the dogs within its campus. “According to IIT, every dog on its campus is microchipped and three separate enclosures have been provided since some of the dogs are aggressive and impede movement within the campus,” the bench said. It is also possible, as the joint committee report suggests, that sheer ennui may result in aggressive behaviour or the large number of dogs may also result in aggression, the court added.

Making it clear that the number of dogs on the campus must be reduced, the court said, “There could be a few dogs and, given the size of the campus and dogs being traditionally present, the number may be reduced closer to 50, since there are deer and black bucks also on the campus.”

As to the allegation of the PFCI that health of 14 dogs being delicate and requiring special attention, the judges said it would be open to PFCI, along with any appropriate state agency, to move the sick dogs needing immediate care to any state-run veterinary hospital or private facility.