Uttar Pradesh Orders 'Life Imprisonment' For Stray Dogs Who Bite Humans Twice

It is set to be a dog's life for strays in Uttar Pradesh. 

In an unprecedented order, the state government has said dogs that bite a human without provocation once will be kept at an animal centre for 10 days and those that repeat the act will stay there for the remainder of their days, effectively sentencing them to life imprisonment. The only way out for the animals after this would be if someone agrees to adopt them and submits an affidavit that they would never be released on the streets again.

The order, issued by Principal Secretary Amrit Abhijat to all rural and urban civic bodies on September 10 for the management of aggressive dogs, states that if any person takes an anti-rabies vaccine after being bitten by a stray dog, the incident will be investigated and the canine will be taken to the nearest Animal Birth Control centre. 

"Once there, the stray dog will be sterilised if the procedure has not already been done. It will be kept under observation for 10 days and its behaviour will be noted. Before being released, the dog will be microchipped, which will have all its details and also enable us to trace its location," said Dr Bijay Amrit Raj, Veterinary Officer at the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation. 

If the same dog bites a human - without being provoked - a second time, it will be kept at the centre for life.

Asked how they would determine whether there was a provocation, Mr Raj said, "A committee of three people will be set up, consisting of a veterinary doctor from the area, someone who has experience with animals and understands their behaviour, and someone from the municipal corporation. They will verify that the attack was unprovoked - if the animal bites after someone throws a stone, that will not be considered an unprovoked attack."

The order states that such dogs can be adopted, but the person who does so will have to provide all details - name, address, et cetera - and submit an affidavit that the canine would not be released on the streets. The microchip details of the dog will also be noted down and, if it is released, legal action will be taken against the adopter. 

The Uttar Pradesh directive comes a month after a Supreme Court bench ordered that all stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region be rounded up and kept in shelter homes within eight weeks. After massive outrage, a larger bench had modified the order and said the canines should be sterilised, vaccinated and released in their original locations, except for those suffering from rabies or displaying aggressive behaviour.

(With inputs from Deepak Gambhir)