Bombay High Court: S.C. Gupte, J., directed the State Government to issue clear directives with regard to no stopping or obstructing of pet taxies ferrying sick animals.
Grievance placed in the petition was that petitioner submitted that due to lockdown, police stations under the jurisdiction by respondents 3 and 4 have been arbitrarily stopping citizens from taking their pets for walks.
Police station have issued arbitrary directions to housing societies to stop residents from taking their dogs for walks. Adding to the said, it is also submitted that ambulances or pet taxies operated by NOGs and others to ferry animals from their shelters or pet owners to veterinary clinics and back are being arbitrarily stopped and obstructed by the police administration.
Further the petitioner states that police administration is refusing to issue passes for these ambulances and pet taxies.
AGP submitted that State directives prohibit people from walking their dogs outside compounds of societies or homes and not from walking them within the compounds. So far as ambulances or pet taxies for ferrying of sick animals to and from veterinary clinics are concerned, the State has not asked its police administration to stop or obstruct such ambulances or pet taxies.
Bench thus, in view of the above stated that is any directive by Animal Welfare Board of India has been issued by the State DGPs in the matter of walking dogs, then the State must take appropriate decision and inform the Court by next date.
Hence till then, State is directed to issue a clear directive to the police administration not to stop or obstruct ambulances or pet taxies for ferrying sick animals to and from veterinary clinics. [Vineeta Tandon v. State of Maharashtra, 2020 SCC OnLine Bom 638 , decided on 08-05-2020]
It shows that the police are unable to understand the situation and how to react? It is strange if they are obstructing ambulances and sick people too. Are they not humans?