Punjab and Haryana High Court stays consumer forum’s order on foreign dog breeds

Chandigarh, November 30

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of interim order dated November 15 passed by Gurugram District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commmission. Among other directions, the commission had completely banned with immediate effect pet dogs of 11 foreign breeds.

Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj, at the same time, added: “The Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, is directed to ensure that every registered owner shall keep the dog on leash when brought out at public places and it is guarded so that it does not bite any one. The owner of the dog shall also carry an ecofriendly disposable bag for scooping the poo/shit of the dog and dispose it of properly to maintain hygiene and cleanliness at public places. Appropriate penalty for non-compliance should be levied on such registered dog owners”.

Justice Bhardwaj also took into consideration the data noticed by the Commission that as many as 77 lakh dog bite cases were reported throughout India on “everyday basis resulting in 20,000 deaths per year”. The Bench observed it had also been reported on the basis of internet that nearly 40 per cent such cases related to children, which was definitely an alarming situation and was required to be properly redressed.

Justice Bhardwaj also directed the Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, to file an affidavit of an officer not below the Commissioner’s rank. He was asked to furnish in his affidavit details, including the steps taken by the Corporation to ensure that the residents got their pets registered with immediate effect upon payment of necessary charges.

It was also asked to furnish details of foreign breed dogs not allowed to be imported as per a notification dated April 25, 2016, issued by the Government of India. The corporation was also asked to ensure the compliance of rules/bye-laws under Section 311 of the Harayna Municipal Act, 1994, and furnish details of the registration and the fee collected by it. It was also directed to issue public notice warranting all residences/housing societies to strictly follow the mandate of the bye laws/rules, non-compliance whereof should attract penalty as has been statutorily prescribed.