No harm in killing harmful dogs, observes high level meeting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high level meeting convened by Government Chief Whip Thomas Unniyadan has come out with the finding that the existing laws do not bar killing of dogs, if and only they turn harmful to human beings. Strangely enough, they have even made the observation that safety from dog menace is only possible through annihilating dogs that are violent or rabid.    

The chief whip said that the local bodies were reluctant to kill dogs as they were of the impression that past Supreme Court orders prevented killing of dogs.      

Law Secretary B G Hareendranath, on the basis of a High Court order, pointed out that there was no legal restrictions in killing harmful dogs.

He also brought to the notice of the participants of the meeting the 2006 order pronounced by Kerala High Court Division bench comprising Chief Justice V K Bali and Justice J B Koshy that animals including dogs can be killed for human safety.

Hareendranath said the Supreme Court order against killing of dogs in Goa was not applicable to Kerala. Even then it was suggested in the meeting that Kerala be a party in the case in this regard. Then the State would be able to convince the apex court that Animal Act would not come in the way of exterminating dogs that turn harmful to human beings. Article 21 of Indian Constitution that guarantees right to live will also permit this 'killing act'.

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