Who let the dogs out ?

And here we are, talking about dogs and cats. All of us have more or less accepted stray animals as parts of our life. Now, it’s time to give it a serious thought, something that is related to lives of people. Recent hearing on stray dogs at Bombay High Court has come as a shocker for people who are concerned for people. Statement can be interpreted something like this: a dog has life, just like we humans. It also has an equally strong right to stay and move around in social habitat.

One more thing: No court in Indian judicial hierarchy has rights to create or manufacture a law. Court’s and thus judges’ job in India is strictly limited to only interpreting the law, exactly as written, for the citizens of India republic.

And what’s at stake? Human life!

Stray dogs have been involved and been responsible for accidents on roads; groups of stray dogs wander around slums and cause nuisances to ‘humans’ residing at such places. Not only to the people who stay in slums but can be detrimental to people driving as well. The number of accidents due to stray animals on roads has increased significantly and then ofcourse, not to forget number of diseases those come along. For long can we afford to let go human lives just like that? Why are we being suppressed by notion of ‘great accommodating culture’ and idiosyncratic ‘right to exist for everyone’?

Why don’t we have a law that can help ensure safety for our first priority: human life? Why can’t judges interpret laws which are sidelined for the sake of judicial wins?

We are on a mission to get brains for animal rights activists, until then stay cautious!