The State government has constituted a committee for all districts, except in South Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts, to prevent and control the menace caused by stray dogs.
The State in its submission before the division bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said that the committee was formed under rule 4 of the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 framed under Section 38(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
The court in its May 15, 2025 order has asked the state to form a committee within four weeks, for it to discharge its functions according to rule 5 of the Act.
Rule 5 outlines the responsibilities of the Monitoring Committee in implementing Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme as per the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001. It is tasked with overseeing the catching, transportation, sheltering, sterilization, vaccination, treatment, and release of sterilized, vaccinated, or treated dogs. It also has the authority to authorize euthanasia of critically ill, fatally injured, or rabid dogs.
The court during the hearing has directed the state to file an action taken report, including constitution of the committee for the two districts.
The PIL will come up for hearing on August 6, 2025.
