Daijiworld Media Network – Jaipur

Jaipur, Aug 12: The Rajasthan High Court has directed municipal bodies across the state to remove stray dogs and other animals from city roads, citing rising cases of dog bites and accidents caused by stray animals.

The directive, issued on August 11 by a division bench of Justice Kuldeep Mathur and Justice Ravi Chirania in a suo motu case, follows a similar Supreme Court order for Delhi-NCR. The court instructed officials to ensure minimal physical harm to the animals during removal.

Authorities have been given a free hand to act against anyone obstructing the drive, including lodging FIRs under relevant municipal laws. Immediate action was sought to clear stray animals from AIIMS Jodhpur and the district court premises, both high-footfall areas.

The National and State Highways Authorities have been told to patrol roads regularly for smooth traffic movement. Municipal bodies must also release helpline numbers and email addresses for citizens to report stray animal issues.

The court clarified that feeding of stray animals should be done only at designated shelters or cattle ponds, not on public roads. The Additional Advocate General has been directed to submit a report on the condition of such shelters by September 8.