The Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s decision to impose a fine of up to Rs 5,000 for feeding stray dogs outside designated locations will now undergo a legal review following directions from the district animal husbandry department.
The civic body had identified specific places in the city where residents could feed stray dogs. Under its decision, anyone feeding dogs in open areas outside these designated locations could be fined up to Rs 5,000. The corporation introduced the measure after complaints that open feeding was contributing to unclean surroundings and foul odour.
The decision has faced opposition from animal lovers, who have questioned the legal basis of restricting feeding to locations selected by the municipal corporation. Roshan Pathak subsequently submitted a complaint to the district animal husbandry department seeking examination of the order.
In a letter sent on 4 September, the district department directed that the legal validity of the municipal corporation’s order be examined. The direction specifically concerns the provision allowing a fine of up to Rs 5,000 when stray dogs are fed at places other than those designated by the corporation.
The department has also instructed the municipal corporation to obtain an opinion from its law and justice department. This process is expected to determine whether the fine and the restrictions on feeding are legally sustainable under the applicable animal welfare framework.
The department further directed the corporation to consider the matter in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and the guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board of India. These provisions are relevant to how local authorities manage stray dog populations and respond to complaints involving animals and public spaces.
The dispute places two municipal concerns alongside each other: the need to address sanitation problems linked to feeding in public areas and the legal and welfare obligations governing the treatment and management of community dogs. The corporation’s order was framed as a response to complaints about hygiene and odour, while the complaint by an animal advocate has triggered scrutiny of whether the enforcement mechanism complies with animal welfare rules and guidelines.
For residents, the review leaves the status of the Rs 5,000 penalty subject to the outcome of the municipal law department’s examination and the further action directed by the district animal husbandry department. The material supplied does not state whether any fines have already been imposed or whether the corporation has suspended enforcement while the review is pending.
The next formal step is for the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s law and justice department to provide its opinion, after which the civic body is expected to take necessary action in light of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 and the Animal Welfare Board of India’s guidelines.
Source: https://urbanacres.in/mira-bhayandar-dog-feeding-fine-faces-legal-review-after-complaint/