Videos by the dog-hating lobby are being circulated routinely to influence public perception and instill terror among dog lovers. The latest video being floated in this series is the one wherein it is being falsely being insinuated that stray dog caretakers will henceforth be considered as “possessors” of these dogs and if perchance a dog under their care happens to bite someone, they will be held legally accountable under section 291 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Vineeta Tandon, Co-founder and Shelter Manager, Animal Rescue Trust – Pune , has come forward to dispel these untruths. In the video she clarifies that BNS, The Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC), Evidence ACT and Indian Penal Code (IPC) are very similar and very few changes have been made in the recent amendment to the BNS. Section 291(BNS) is exactly like section 289 (IPC). And the rules delineated in section 289 (IPC) don’t apply to feeders. In conclusion, penal action can only be taken against owners and not stray dog caretakers or feeders as per the law.
Moreover, in case of a mishap, even the accused owners can’t be arrested because as per a Supreme Court order a perpetrator can only be arrested if the punishment of the offence committed is less than 7 years. And because the jail term is only six months in this case, no one gets arrested; only an FIR is filed and subsequently if the chargesheet is filed then a case is filed in court.
We are sharing this video with permission of Animal Rescue Trust – Pune . We thank Ms. Tandon for affirming the truth and coming forward with this explainer video which will help dog owners and feeders alike.
