CHENNAI: More than 50 dogs housed in a residential flat have prompted the residents welfare association to knock at the doors of the Madras high court with a plea to relocate the noisy pets to a Blue Cross facility.
Andal Avenue Welfare Association in Velachery complained that constant barking, howling and foul smell emanating from the house had been causing hardship to other residents, particularly senior citizens and children.
When the plea came up for hearing on Friday, Justice M Dhandapani directed the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to inspect the house and file a report to the court.
The association said the resident, Hemalatha, was involved in commercial breeding of dogs in a residential area. "The dogs often jump the compound wall of the house and chase school-going children and senior citizens," the petitioner-forum said.
Therefore, they wanted the court to direct the Chennai Corporation to remove the dogs and hand them over to Blue Cross.
Earlier, representing Hemalatha, senior advocate B Kumar submitted that as an animal-lover she had taken steps to safeguard stray dogs from the roadside and provided them with adequate food and shelter in her home. She had been doing the service for several years and she did not collect any donation from anyone for the same, he said.
Making it clear that Hemalatha does not involve in commercial breeding of dogs, he added that her house was located in an isolated area and did not cause any inconvenience to others in the area.
In her submission, Hemalatha said that all her dogs had been neutered and hence they could not be used for breeding, as alleged by the petitioner-association. As to the allegation that her dogs often jumped the compound wall, she submitted that her house was secured with compound walls on all the sides with a grille gate in the front which made it impossible for any dog to jump.
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