Human life is more valuable than dogs: HC

Expressing concern over the lack of measures to tackle the stray dog menace, the Kerala High Court has observed that the life of a human being is more valuable than the life of a stray dog.

Justice K. Abraham Mathew, while quashing the cases registered against Kochavusepu Chittialappally, Chairman, the Stray Dog Free Dog Movement, Jose Maveli and others, observed the menace of stray dogs was on the increase in the State. Several people had been their victims. Even infants were attacked and killed at their homes. In fact, there had been no effective measures to curb the menace.

“Faced with these situations, people took certain measures that they believed was necessary to protect innocent persons. Certainly, the life of a human being was more valuable than the life of a stray dog. I do not think that the petitioners wanted to subject the dogs to cruelty. Their intention was only to protect human beings,” the court added.

The petitioners had been charged with the offences under under Sections 428 and 429 (mischief by killing or maiming animal) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The allegation was that they caught four stray dogs using a trap and took them in a vehicle to another place where they were tied to a tree.

The court said it did not think that the petitioners wanted to subject the dogs to cruelty. “Their intention was only to protect human beings,” the court observed.