New Delhi, May 19 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Thursday vacated the stay on the Delhi High Court order, which issued guidelines for feeding street dogs after holding that citizens have a right to feed the animals.

The verdict, a huge relief to animal welfare organisations and volunteers involved in feeding stray dogs, was delivered by a bench comprising Justices U.U. Lalit, S. Ravindra Bhat, and Sudhanshu Dhulia.

The bench vacated the March 4 interim stay of the apex court bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and Aniruddha Bose on the operation of the high court order passed last year.

During the course of the hearing, several impleaders pointed out how the stay order had created a hostile environment for the dogs and led to many instances of harassment of volunteers of animal welfare organisation and feeders.

Senior advocates Aman Lekhi and Anand Grover appeared as intervenors. Friendicoes SECA had also moved an application for impleadment and was represented by senior advocate Ritin Rai, instructed by Karanjawala and Co.

A petitioner in connected matters urged the court to look into the issue of dog bite cases and the menace of strays in the city.

On this, Justice Lalit addressed the lawyers present in court on the issue of the huge pendency of important matters before the court and how the court has to prioritise the kind of matters it entertains. Particularly in such cases, he observed that the petitioners have an effective remedy before the high courts and should first approach them.