Delhi Court Penalizes Animal Care Centre for Illegal Dog Seizures

A Delhi court fined Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre Rs 2 lakh for unlawfully seizing and transferring custody of dogs, violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The court criticized the centre for procedural illegalities and imposed the cost as a deterrent to prevent similar actions in the future.

A Delhi court penalized the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC) Rs 2 lakh for illegal actions involving the seizure and transfer of pet dogs. The court found the centre guilty of operating outside the legal boundaries set by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and ordered the cost to be deposited to a government fund for the National Livestock Mission.

The judgment came after a revision petition by SGACC against an order for the release of the dogs back to their owner, Vishal, who was listed in an FIR registered at the Jagat Puri police station. The court highlighted the vexatious nature of the centre's conduct, evident from the use of proxy complaints and the orchestration of disputes for strategic benefits.

Judge Surabhi Sharma Vats pointed out procedural irregularities, bias, and a misuse of power in the centre's actions. The counsel for the dog owner, Mayank Sharma, argued the dogs had illegally undergone surgical procedures, worsening the case. The court's earlier fine of Rs 5,000 remains part of the ongoing legal proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)