Facing hostile neighbours if you feed or otherwise take care of dogs is not new. But it has to be dealt with in a firm manner. First, stay calm. Do not get into a slinging match or a showdown. The law and order machinery is on your side, and you should leverage it to protect yourself and the dogs. These are the 3 main things you should know:
- First, you are well within your rights to feed dogs that are in the locality and any neighbours or RWA cannot put in unreasonable restrictions. If you just search on ‘know your dogs’ rights on www.vosd.in you will find numerous judgments of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Delhi High Court, Maharashtra High Court (Mumbai bench). Please go through these and arm yourself with some knowledge. These judgments pertain to feeding dogs in the neighbourhood, dogs in common areas in buildings etc.
- Second hurting or relocating these dogs is a criminal offence and there are many laws that address that including sections 428 & 429 of the IPC, Section 11 of the PCA etc. So hurting these dogs is a cognizable criminal offence. In the same search result you will find police complaints – and the process to file them. You can just print the complaint and sent it by regd A/D – this is proof that you have made a complaint and now you can approach the police since it is now their responsibility to protect you and the dogs
- Third misbehaving with you is a criminal offence & the police needs to protect YOU especially of you show cause that you have been threatened. This is true for all types of threats on person and damage to property in various criminal sections. ESPECIALLY if you are a lady – then these threats can amount to using words or gestures to disrespect you, creating public unrest. Any such complaint has to be registered by the police not doing so makes the said police official liable for arrest.
Tags : 428 & 429 of the IPC, Delhi High Court, Offence, Resident Welfare Association (RWA), rwa, Section 11 of the PCA
