Cuttack: Concerned over the growing menace of stray animals on roads, Orissa high court has registered a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL), initiated on the Supreme Court directions on the management of dogs, while expanding its scope to cattle such as cows, buffaloes and bulls who also pose a risk to commuters and disrupt traffic.While registering the suo motu PIL on July 22, a division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash also directed the state govt to file an affidavit within three weeks detailing the measures proposed to address the twin problems of stray dogs and cattle. It said it would monitor implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders, including those issued on Aug 22, 2025, and any subsequent directions passed in the matter.While the Supreme Court proceedings primarily dealt with the stray dog menace, the bench observed that Odisha has been witnessing an increasing number of stray cattle moving freely on arterial roads and highways, creating an equally serious public safety issue. “Though, the instant suo motu writ petition is restricted to the … stray dogs but we also noticed in recent time that … several other categories of cattle including the cows, buffaloes and bulls are indiscriminately roaming around the main arterial roads as well as other roads carrying substantial vehicular traffic,” the high court said in the order, a web copy of which was released on Thursday.The bench held that the issue deserved judicial attention alongside the stray dog problem. “We are of the considered view that these issues should also be brought within the scope of the present proceedings so that appropriate remedial measures may be taken by the Govt in this regard,” it observed.Highlighting the impact on daily life, the judges noted that stray cattle frequently obstruct traffic movement. “The movement of those cattle on the main arterial roads … at times causes a traffic jam, slowing down the pace of life,” the order stated.Recognising the wider public importance of the issue, the bench appointed senior advocates Gautam Mishra and Subir Palit as amici curiae to assist the court. They have been asked to suggest effective measures for removing stray cattle from arterial roads and shifting them to appropriate places of safety.The PIL will now serve as the HC’s mechanism to monitor compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions while ensuring that the state evolves a comprehensive policy to tackle the growing menace of stray animals on public roads.The Supreme Court on Aug 22, 2025, had modified its earlier directions on the management of stray dogs, allowing sterilised, vaccinated and dewormed dogs to be released back to the areas from where they were picked up, while keeping the earlier prohibition on their release in abeyance. However, dogs infected or suspected to be infected with rabies, and those displaying aggressive behaviour, cannot be released and must be housed in separate shelters after treatment. The court directed municipal bodies to create designated feeding zones in every ward and barred feeding of stray dogs on streets, warning of action against violators. It also ordered dedicated helplines for reporting violations, required municipal authorities to file compliance affidavits on Animal Birth Control Rules implementation, and expanded the case to cover all states and Union territories.
