Stray Dogs Have Right To Food, But Feed With Caution: Delhi High Court

The high court said every dog is a territorial being and it has to be fed and tended to at places within their territory which is not frequented by the general public.

Stray dogs have the right to food and citizens have the right to feed community canines, the Delhi High Court has said while observing that in exercising this right care and caution should be taken to ensure that it does not impinge upon others and causes no harassment or nuisance. The high court, while laying down guidelines regarding feeding of stray dogs, said every dog is a territorial being and it has to be fed and tended to at places within their territory which is not frequented by the general public. Any person having compassion for stray dogs can feed them at their private entrance or driveway of their house or any other place not shared with other residents but no one can restrict the other from feeding of dogs, until and unless it is causing harm or harassment to them, it said. "Community dogs (stray/street dogs) have the right to food and citizens have the right to feed community dogs but in exercising this right, care and caution should be taken to ensure that it does not impinge upon the rights of others or cause any harm, hindrance, harassment and nuisance to other individuals or members of the society," Justice J R Midha said in a recent 86-page verdict.