Stray Dogs of DSCC: No relocations while discussion continues

The High Court yesterday opined that the  Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) should not continue its move to relocate stray dogs from its area until further hearing of the writ  petition filed to this effect.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali kept  the writ petition stand-over (waiting for hearing) for a month, Saqeb  Mahbub, a lawyer for the petitioners, told The Daily Star.

The court also asked Attorney General AM Amin Uddin to ensure that the  stray dogs are not relocated until further hearing of the petition, he  said.         

The petitioners' lawyer said during hearing on the petition, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the HC that a discussion over dog relocation  among DSCC  Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and other stakeholders is going on. The attorney general said the DSCC mayor is now abroad and will  return to the country after two weeks, and prayed to the HC to adjourn  hearing of the writ petition.

Saqeb Mahbub said the attorney general assured the HC that DSCC  will not continue its move to relocate stray dogs during this period. He also said DSCC cannot relocate stray dogs following the verbal order of the HC.

Attorney General Amin Uddin told the newspaper that he will convey the message to DSCC authorities to not relocate any dogs in the interim.

Mustafizur Rahman Khan appeared for the petitioners.

Celebrated  actor Jaya Ahsan and animal welfare organisations -- Obhoyaronyo and  People for Animal Welfare -- submitted the writ petition as a public  interest litigation to the HC on September 17, requesting it to stay the  DSCC move to relocate stray dogs and dump them in the Matuail landfill.