UP Announces Life Imprisonment For Stray Dogs Who Bite Humans Twice
The order, issued on September 10 by Principal Secretary Amrit Abhijat to all rural and urban civic bodies, lays down a protocol for the management of aggressive dogs.
In an unprecedented move, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed that stray dogs which attack humans twice without provocation will be confined to animal centres for life, unless adopted under strict conditions.
The order, issued on September 10 by Principal Secretary Amrit Abhijat to all rural and urban civic bodies, lays down a protocol for the management of aggressive dogs.
According to the directive, if a person requires an anti-rabies vaccine after being bitten, the dog will be taken to the nearest Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre. There, it will be sterilised (if not already done), kept under 10-day observation, and then released after being microchipped for tracking.
"If the same dog is found to have attacked a person without provocation a second time, it will be kept at the centre permanently,” said Dr Bijay Amrit Raj, Veterinary Officer at the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation.
To establish whether a bite was provoked, a three-member committee, comprising a veterinary doctor, an animal behaviour expert, and a municipal official, will investigate. "For instance, if someone throws a stone and the dog retaliates, that will not count as unprovoked,” Raj clarified.
The order also allows adoption of such dogs, but with safeguards: the adopter must submit personal details and an affidavit assuring that the dog will never be released on the streets. The microchip will track compliance, and legal action will be taken if the dog is abandoned.
Officials say the move is aimed at balancing public safety concerns with animal welfare protocols, amid growing incidents of dog-bite cases across the state.
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