Bengaluru, June 23 -- The Madras High Court on Monday ordered Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to file status reports within four weeks detailing the steps they have taken to implement the Supreme Court's directions on managing stray dogs and protecting public safety.

Taking the matter suo motu as a public interest litigation (PIL), a bench of chief justice SA Dharmadhikari and justice G Arul Murugan asked both governments to provide details on the "number of animal birth control centres they have established, the veterinarians and trained staff they have appointed, and the frequency of sterilisation and vaccination drives."

The court also sought information on steps taken to remove stray dogs from educational institutions, hospitals, parks an...