New Delhi: Putting an end to a fight that took place “for the love of dogs”, Delhi High Court has quashed cross-FIRs lodged by two neighbours after a scuffle over the handling of their pet dogs. HC, however, made the relief conditional — that the quarrelling neighbours pay Rs 10,000 costs each at a canine shelter.“The matter pertains to the handling and supervision of the parties’ respective pet dogs. The disagreement escalated during a routine dog walk, leading to a heated altercation which further degenerated into an unsavoury scuffle, with each side alleging assault, intimidation and misbehaviour against the other. All of it, remarkably, in the name of their beloved pets. Truly, a case that redefines ‘for the love of dogs!'” Justice Arun Monga observed.The court concluded that the dispute between the parties was private in nature and arose out of unnecessary differences between neighbours in relation to the handling of their respective pets.“Continuation of the criminal proceedings would serve no useful purpose and would rather amount to an abuse of the process of law. Not quashing the criminal proceedings would rekindle hostility, whereas quashing the same would promote cordiality and bonhomie between the neighbours,” HC noted in an order passed on Wednesday.The court agreed to quash the FIRs and asked the parties to cough up Rs 10,000 each “for the love of their pets” as costs to a dog shelter maintained and run by Unity for Stray Animal Foundation. It allowed their joint prayer to end the matter after the parties amicably settled their disputes of their own free will and without any coercion or duress.The two FIRs arose out of a 2024 incident about which the parties gave different versions. The heated argument snowballed into an ugly fight and the matter landed up before police, with each side levelling several allegations against the other. Counsels for both sides submitted there was a serious misunderstanding on the part of their clients that led to the lodging of the two cross-FIRs, and they later settled the matter and signed a memorandum of understanding.
