New Delhi, Nov 7 : The Supreme Court on Friday issued a slew of directions to insulate key public spaces from the growing stray dog menace and to clear highways of stray cattle and other animals.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria, hearing the suo motu matter on stray dog management across the country, ordered that every educational institution, hospital, public sports complex, bus stand and railway station must be properly fenced to prevent the entry of stray dogs.

The Justice Nath-led Bench asked the local municipal bodies to conduct regular pick-up drives from such premises and shift the animals to designated shelters after mandatory vaccination and sterilisation under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.

The apex court clarified that dogs removed from these public places should not return to the same spot, further directing periodic inspections to ensure that no stray dog habitat is allowed to develop within these premises.

The Justice Nath-led Bench also ordered the immediate removal of stray cattle and other animals from highways, adding that such animals be shifted to designated shelters without delay.

'Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories shall ensure strict compliance with this. Otherwise, officers will be held personally responsible,' ordered the apex court, seeking compliance status reports within eight weeks detailing the mechanisms put in place to implement the directives.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had expressed displeasure with states and UTs over lapses in enforcing the ABC Rules. The Justice Nath-led Bench has been examining the matter closely, stressing that unchecked incidents involving stray animals not only compromise public safety but also project an embarrassing image of the country internationally.

"Continuous incidents are happening, and the image of the country is being shown as down in the eyes of foreign nations. We are also reading news reports," it had remarked.

/IANS