Meghalaya High Court orders immediate measures for street dog shelters, notes progress on Zoo relocation

The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state government and the Shillong Municipal Board to promptly establish a shelter for street dogs. The order was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh while addressing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) involving two key issues: the relocation of the Shillong zoo and measures to manage the street dog menace.

Highlighting the increasing street dog population and the associated risks, the Court observed that incidents of dog bites and rabies-related deaths are alarmingly high. While the Shillong Municipal Board’s counsel reported ongoing efforts to vaccinate and sterilize the dogs, the lack of a dedicated shelter remains a critical gap. Currently, street dogs are captured, vaccinated, sterilized, and released back onto the streets.

On the matter of zoo relocation, the state's counsel informed the court that the Shillong zoo was shifted in June 2024 to the newly established Meghalaya State Zoo, approximately 35 km from Shillong. The facility includes a veterinary hospital staffed with a qualified veterinarian. Nearly all animals, except a pregnant deer and birds, have been relocated to the new site. The delay in shifting the birds was attributed to the incomplete construction of a cage-type enclosure at the new location.

The Court expressed satisfaction with the government’s efforts to relocate the zoo to a more animal-friendly environment but underscored the urgency of addressing the street dog issue with appropriate infrastructure.

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