Wildlife & Biodiversity
Killing with compassion: Why feeding dogs in public places must stop!
It is time for individuals to accept personal responsibility in stray dog management
By Shireen Bhalla, Abi T Vanak
Published: Thursday 02 July 2020
“You know, there’s a little dog that has started sitting outside our door. My son feeds him a little bit now and then. How do I get the dog to go away?” asked Divya (Name changed), who lives in Jakkur layout, Bangalore.
Few people can resist those puppy eyes, the upward raised eyebrows and the wagging tail. Hence, most give in and throw a few scraps of food, or a packet of biscuits. And, dogs, having evolved to elicit exactly this response, become dependent on these handouts.
This scene is repeated in neighbourhood after neighbourhood, outside every chai stall or corner bakery. The “regulars” show up, and waiting for them are wagging tails and loving licks. A packet of glucose biscuits, or a bun is gratuitously offered and the transaction is done. The dog has received a little bit of food, maybe even an affectionate pat and the human goes away having done her / his good deed for the day.
Others take feeding dogs more seriously, with almost karmic devotion. They become de facto carers of these dogs — preparing home-cooked meals, investing substantial amounts of their earnings, driving around neighbourhoods (sometimes late at night) and very occasionally, even doing the right thing by making sure the dogs are vaccinated and sterilised. Many of them even carry certificates as “Colony Animal Caretakers” issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).
A third category of dog feeder is the private home owner (or college hosteller). Their own pet dogs (often pure breeds), are kept indoors and walked on a leash, but outside their houses you will see the children of the lesser dogs.
The “streeties”, the “Indies”, the ones who are fed leftovers on the street, the ones who “enjoy” a free life, coming and going as they choose, forming alliances and barking through the night to ward off intruding packs.
These dogs are meant to keep streets safe from strangers we are told. However, they will bark and chase any passer-by, be they morning joggers or someone returning home late at night. Yet, the homeowner who feeds these dogs takes no responsibility should a person get chased or attacked at night.
A strong argument can therefore be made that the presence of these dogs interferes with a constitutionally guaranteed right to free movement and that no one should have to face dangers from animals on the street while going about their daily business.
From an animal welfare perspective, most of these dogs receive very little else other than food — they don’t get vaccinated nor are sterilised. Indeed, in many cases, feeders or homeowners directly or indirectly prevent municipal authorities from catching dogs for sterilisation.
Most people who feed dogs violate the conditions set forth by both the AWBI (2015) and Delhi high court (2010). These stated that dogs should not be fed at places frequented by people, on public streets, common areas at the entrance to houses or where dogs are herded to be fed.
Indeed, the Delhi High court (2017) ruled that feeding dogs, even in private property, should not cause nuisance to neighbours. A Supreme Court judgement banned the feeding of pigeons even from one’s own balcony due to nuisance that it can cause to other occupants. The feeding of dogs in public places should attract a similar ban.
There are two main reasons that the AWBI uses to promote feeding of unowned dogs. One is performing a duty under Article 51(g) “to have compassion for living creatures”.
The second is because they expect that it will allow for easier implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme — both by having feeders act responsibly for implementing the ABC programme and by making dogs easier to catch under the assumption that well-fed dogs are friendlier with humans.
Both points must be called under question. Is it compassionate to commit these dogs to the street where their lifespans are short, diseases spread quickly and where they are at risk of being run over or pose a grave danger to the safety and lives of citizens?
And does feeding by particular individuals in fact make dogs on streets more friendly to all? Also, do feeders take personal responsibility for the dogs, especially if there is conflict with people who may view these dogs as dangerous or as a nuisance?
There have been countless examples of conflicts between feeders and other citizens over attacks by dogs that are fed in such an irresponsible manner. Particularly residents inside complexes who have street dogs gathered around the entrances.
In February this year, hundreds of residents of a housing society in Ghaziabad protested against stray dogs attacking a pregnant woman. The residents said that dogs had also bitten 4-5 other people in the area in one week. In April, Bengaluru residents similarly tried to prevent feeding of dogs.
In May there were two fights, days apart, between members of two separate residential complexes in Noida against feeders from within the complex. In each case, residents reportedly witnessed aggressiveness in street dogs that were being fed or felt threatened by dogs that would bark and follow them for food.
When residents complain against individuals who feed dogs, there is often a counter complaint of harassment and physical violence that is foisted on the hapless victims of dog attacks (for instance from Pune, where a confirmed rabid dog bit seven residents).
We cannot ignore the fear that the dogs can cause and the aggressiveness they can display. In 2006, it was estimated that nearly 20 million people are bitten by dogs every year in India and nearly 21,000 deaths take place due to rabies, the highest in the world. Furthermore, children are bitten nearly twice as often as adults.
There are, therefore, many strong reasons to start getting stray dogs off the streets and into shelters.
The COVID-19 lockdown would have been a good time to do that. With less garbage on the streets and fewer regular feeders, the street dogs were going hungry and becoming more aggressive.
Instead of using this as an opportunity to move dogs into shelters and decrease the number of food sources in the environment, organisations and individuals were urged to feed the dogs. If these individuals continue to feed these dogs after the lockdown, the capacity for dogs will increase further.
People have come to assume that dogs are a natural part of our urban environment. Following that logic is the conviction that ‘the dogs are there, so they must be fed somehow.’ Many people from across the three types of feeders believe that the dogs eat trash first and biscuits second, so by feeding them one is merely supplementing their ‘natural diet’. This has big implications.
There is an ecological concept called the ‘carrying capacity of the environment’. It is the population of a species that can be supported by a particular environment given the resources and habitat.
Assuming, as many people do, that trash piles are the biggest source of stray dogs, why were stray dogs going hungry during the recent lockdown? Why did teams of citizens go around feeding the dogs?
The reality that we found evidence of in our research is that people have been artificially propping up the dog population this whole time. Whether it is by occasionally giving a pack of biscuits to some dogs outside a bakery or driving around regularly to feed certain packs of dogs, humans are directly increasing the capacity for stray dogs in our environment.
Born out of ‘compassion’ is a more than 0.3 million stray population (just in Bengaluru), that is often sick, badly treated, and growing in numbers.
Many people assume that the ABC programme will control the dog population and that it is primarily the responsibility of the civic authority. But it has been nearly 20 years since the ABC programme was supposed to have been rolled out in cities across the country and still, the scene on the streets has barely changed with respect to dogs.
If anything, dog numbers are up. People believe that the ABC programme is the ‘scientifically proven’ way to go. The reality that research shows is that it takes a very high level of continuous implementation for the programme to be effective.
If 62-87 per cent of stray dogs in an environment were kept sterilised continuously, it would still take 13-18 years for the population to decrease by 69 per cent (Totton et al., 2010).
What we see in reality, taking the example of Bengaluru, is that 46 per cent of the dogs in the city had not undergone the programme in 2019. Furthermore, the overall population had gone up from 0.18 million dogs in 2013 to 0.3 million dogs over only six years. Belief in the efficacy of the ABC programme is worsening the problem at an alarming rate. We need to move past the illusion that this will work and use a better solution.
The bottom line is that as long as resources are available in the environment, dogs will continue to enter the environment. It is time for individuals to accept personal responsibility in stray dog management.
If they can’t be a part of the solution, either by adopting dogs, or making sure they are sheltered by animal welfare non-profits, then they certainly shouldn’t be feeding the problem.
Shireen Bhalla is a former undergraduate student who studied dogs as part of her Capstone thesis research in Bengaluru
Abi T Vanak is a Clinical and Public Health Fellow, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Program & Convenor of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, ATREE
Views expressed are the authors’ own and don't necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth
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Dear Friends who’ve written this article,
I’ll just say this much: feeding a hungry creature is a good thing to do. If everyone feeds little bit and respects the animals, the animals won’t be aggressive. As a young citizen, I request that there be more projects from RWAs, MCDs, NGOs and Governments to open stray animal “asylums“ (as they are called in Netherlands where my cousins stay where there aren’t any strays, they said). I can’t open one till I have enough money, but I’m saving for doing this. In the mean time, what about the 40 strays dogs and 5 weak cows I feed? Let’s assume, I’m dependant on someone, my parents or husband: one day they decide not to feed me. I’ll perish. That’ll be painful... and I don’t want anyone or any animal to go through that.
Dear, You must understand- banning or stopping is not a solution. Starting is the solution: Starting or opening shelters is the need of the hour; not banning.
And you also said, dear friend, that dogs bite. Well they usually bite children, see the data about dog bites. Why is that so: because children don’t know how to deal with animals. They get scared or run or startle and dogs get startled too. I’ve told my locality’s children to just freeze/ignore and gently go away when I’m walking my dogs or feeding my street animals. If you trouble/startle/interrupt them, then they’ll get aggressive (happens with humans too)
Well, you are right- shelters should please please please be started with the aid of NGOs, Gov., MCD, whosoever has the funds to do so. But you are wrong, dear, that it be banned to feed them. Before I started feeding a street dog, he looked like one of the most pitiable things you would have ever seen. Now healthy, do I make him a suffering carcass again: Let me know dear friend.
Where these shelters would be located is another issue. A great person and his mom started a shelter housing 100 dogs who were all told to leave my sector because the dogs made noise and were scary when they went for a walk, though in small batches.
I’m sure the only thing that’s being killed by our compassion is patience of animal haters. What to do: 1. stop feeding the strays and let them die a painful starving death OR 2. take them all to shelter OR 3. Let the few people who take care of health of the strays continue.
You say do 1st and 2nd. But 1st is inhumane. Let’s just choose the 2nd. I shall pray for my great country and the welfare of all creatures in it. Thanks for expressing your views dear friend, please do consider my comment.
GC
Then all non-veg foods MUST stop, dont these slaughtered animals have life or feeling for life. At least most of animals forming non-veg variety food are harmless & not attacking passerbys for no reason
I do not agree with your views that people who feed stray should be held accountable for the dogs. They did not breed them and the dogs are already here because the government failed to neuter them. People chose to feed them because of compassion and not because they want to see a rise in their population or harasse any citizen who wants to jog. To be honest the whole article sounds very stray dog phobic and very typical. The solution is not to stop feeding them the solution is to be sensitive around other beings that share your planet. The solution is to teach how to act around a dog who is aggressive instead of running out of fear. Believe it or not i have been chased by street dogs which I though was aggressive but a change of approach in my behaviour changed things unless the dog was rabbid. And I wish people could spend more time understanding than blaming others for their mishaps. Killing with compassion is still killing. Murderer with compassion is still a murderer. Its easy to say to put the dogs in a ngo or hand them over to mcd but how many of us fund these ngo's to keep them running? They don't run on magic. It's not our problem how they run right? There will never be a situation where we don't have stray dogs in India to be realistic. The solution is behavioural training from our very foundation. Dogs are not the only threat but yet they face the backlash because of such views against people who feed them. Monkeys bite humans too yet nobody feeds them but I don't see anyone complaining because most of us probably find a safe spot when they see one. Encounters can be dealt with a little sensitivity. Would love to see a an article on what not to do when a dog chases you. I think that would be more helpful than this. That is if you really want to make a change.
I am a subscriber of your magazine and never before in the past so many years have i seen a more ridiculous article. Not only do the authors have no knowledge of the ground reality, they have no argument strong enough to stop feeding the dogs. Instead of having a welfare perspective and shamelessly quoting Art 51(g) without even understanding it,the authors must come up with measures for better implementation of the ABC program. If letting a population of animal die hungry is their only solution then i am sorry that they are even taking the pains of researching and writing such a shoddy article
Totally biased article and a very narrow perspective of Shireen Bhalla..
There are numerous examples of streeties saving humans and babies..they respond to love ..why hasnt she mentioned that..
She is writing of stray incidents of dogs attacking humans at night - a lone biker or jogger. Which is a dogs natural instinct to protect their area coz they view them as intruders..and this doesnt happen everywhere..if the jogger or biker stops and talks lovingly most will wag their tails and get friendly ..rest one can easily scare of..
She has mentioned that feeding streeties doesnt make them friendlier..absolutely wrong..they have more gratitude then us humans.. about attacking or chasing despite feeding..let me stress..Like us humans animals are also wired differently..some of them quietly accept insensitivity of humans and die of starvation..others get aggressive out of starvation ..
And if u dont feed them scraps or biscuits or food..then what will these poor beings eat..dont they feel hunger like us??
And which shelters is she talking of?? Does she see the reality that making shelters for streeties needs the government and whole community to work in tandem..which is impossible in India..
The way her perspectives are - It shows another angle- humans are giving enough reasons then to get massacred..they rape kids. They hurt and kill for fun..they massacre innocents..so these few people doing it should be justification enough to wipe out the whole human race..
We are all created by nature and we should learn to coexist in harmony with compassion for all..Mam Shireen Bhalla stop trying to put more negativity into a already haywire world where we are ashamed to call ourselves humans every other day
Shelters to house these innumerable streeties..land ,infrastructure ,staff ,daily running expenses..
Let Shireen Bhalla work out that feasibility
Ms. Neha your stupid assumption won't become any scientific fact. Every creature has its own right to live ABC is doing its work nicely if u were so worried about birth control have you done family planning as we human are also increasing are numbers and resources are going less day by day why don't you look first your species rather than for other.
If you don't harm other they won't harm you back I think this wasn't taught to you by your teacher nor by your parent that was simply mistake your lack of sensible people.
At least you learn it and make your children Learn this fact and live with same for better being.
Why we should not feed them first everyone has the right to live on this earth. Those road lane coffee shop chai shop or any place is not personal property. Why we should not feed them they are voiceless they cant speak cant tell there pain. If you are having problem you guys mind your own business. Even i am a feeder n rescuer i m feeding dogs since lockdown started n many others too doing the same. Why we will stop who are you guys to give us advice. Teach your children to be compassionate towards animals rather than giving bad parenting.
thesis made by this person is constructed by her own beliefs, and the research sample is taken only from Bangalore and Delhi I guess and the article represent the whole India which is idiotic on the part of the researcher.
I am a part of the biggest animal welfare in Odisha and we have n no. of volunteers all over the state and we also get this kind of mentality and we take responsibility of the dogs we fed.
Don't judge everyone with your small range mentality as tthe results will be devastating , just like your article which is a fuel for dog hatters.
So be responsible and widen your research sample.
A highly biased article with an intent to targeting groups and NGO's who act as a necessary linkage in feeding the hungry animals. The idea by which this article goes one should stop feeding the hungry ( be it animals or humans) to control their population. The article itself says that the hungry dogs have been trying to salvage whatever food they can. Rather than focusing on the animal control authorities the article focuses on the feeders as if they aim to increase the dog population for profit making.
"A strong argument can therefore be made that the presence of these dogs interferes with a constitutionally guaranteed right to free movement and that no one should have to face dangers from animals on the street while going about their daily business."
You do realize the constitution is applicable only to humans? And human beings in their inherent selfishness have mandated the entire earth to be fit for use only by their own species?
Going by your logic I can say a strong argument can be made to give animals the right to vote since they are occupying land and using resources of this country. That was sarcasm just in case you weren't clear.
I am sure you have good intentions when writing the article and the solution you provide for this "problem" in your article is to put all the dogs in shelters and sterilize them until their population dwindles into nothing. I implore you to provide information about shelters where the public can volunteer and donate resources rather than end with a blanket statement placing guilt and blame at the end of your article.
DO NOT JUST REACT AND COMMENT ON THE POST. KINDLY READ THE ARTICLE
If ABC wont control the stray dog population then what would?! Effective implementation of ABC is no doubt required.
Though few points in the article about responsible feeding can be agreed upon but some unscientific, unconfirmed and impractical facts and suggestions have also been published in the news which has the potential to create panic in the society. These articles disrupt the process of selfless and tireless efforts of the animals lovers/activists for building a compassionate society. Basically the article indicates a personal aversion against dogs and fails to bring in a clear picture to the readers.
Please verify the facts before publishing.
Such a useless article. What do you think, you will achieve by this except thrashing by animal lovers. Community dogs are the responsibility of each and every human being because they are living us from ages. If you don't want to take care of them then don't spread hatred against them or the feeder or rescuers. We will make sure that this article is down from down to earth. How can magazine allowed such illegal article? If you don't put it down, you will face legal consequences for sure.
Wow bravo..
Downtoearth.org.in
Your name is down to earth but you forgot dogs belongs to this earth only..
Here you are talking about feeding dog on public places is wrong?
So tell us where we can feed them?
Street dogs belongs to street and yes each n every feeders knows it where to feed them..no dogs will attack you until unless you provoke them..
Rest try to spend one day on street without food n water and check how many people Will hit you without any reason and you will get your answer very easily..as per you stray dog needs a shelter so please tell us where is the healthy shelter for dogs?
There is no proper animals hospital in India and are you talking about shelter?whats wrong with you?
Don’t post one side of story if dog can’t speak it doesn’t mean they don’t have right to live..
In India there is no strict law against those who hurt them..
But I can’t see any single story about it l..
Shame on you..
Fir your information
Under Stray Dog Management Rules 2001, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, RWA or estate management to remove or relocate dogs. The dogs have to be sterilized and vaccinated and returned to the same area.
What are your thoughts on humans??? Even there population is increasing without limit. You're giving example of lockdown in your blog so look out for humans who will reproduce like insects in these lockdown times. Now about biting . Dogs mostly bite coz of people like you who are promoting not to feed them . I keep you hungry for 2-3 days straight what will you do? You'll get mad that's natural . Even humans are so many in numbers that poverty is hitting all time high why run manrega and poverty elevation programs? Let them be hungry let them be in that condition . If animals should be left alone coz feeding them is increasing there numbers so should be poor humans . Who are you to decide where should the live? Do you even know the acts? We humans came took everything from the environment cut down forest killed animals did all cruel things and then God gave us taste of karma in form of this pandemic to let us know that why our way of living is wrong . Why we should learn to respect nature and learn to co-exist with creations but it's funny how people like you have learnt nothing . Humans are not the owners of the mother earth, stop acting like one .
Feeding a dog is not a crime. This is not a big deal to publish in Google. Hope you hate dogs.
One of the most negative biased article I have read so far. As per your logic feeding leads to more dogs??? Is that why our indian population is also this high compared to other actually better of nations? Your research did not give details on things like how many shelters do we have in India. How many crimes happen by humans in a year vs how many dog bites actually kills humans. Your toxicity has reached to such a level of low that you didn't mention how many feeders in a year have been actually attacked by people who care just about "themselves". Also how about mentioning the various cases of dog poisoning and bashing their heads with stones and other barberism carried out?? Also do research and write about how a criminal basically starts his career by harming the strays FIRST. #downtoearth doesn't seem like an article that falls under DOWN TO EARTH. Feeders aren't a special breed fyi.. they are humans amongst people like you who rise above and actually do things ! How many parents can say they teach compassion to animals to their kids? The ones that did are feeders now or humans who are saving lives rather. Rest are scared, anxious and worried about dogs. It's not feeder's responsibility to make sure there are less dogs and dogs get Sterlized. It's every god damn person's responsibility along with the governments. Every society needs to have a system in place where they sterlise the dogs around them rather than spend lakhs in Holi Diwali Christmas parties. Next time mention some solution that venting out.
Sorry it's not obvious that you love dogs. Walking your dog among stray dogs is a cake walk.. start feeding them when you are not with your dog..it's a tried and tested method that words wonders.. they won't bother you even when you walk with your dog
I have been in animal welfare and have been very closely engaged with street dogs and other animals for over 10 years now. I am a native of Bangalore and regularly feed about 500 Street dogs every night. I am also activity involved in ABC program as an individual and also with BBMP program. This article has been the written with no hands-on understanding what so ever. All topics referred to has been with very very limited knowledge and perception. Lots from Google as well. Really regret that such a badly written set of incorrect "facts" were published. Seriously must look at the humane side of the article as well. Please review in detail with an expert before publishing.
Your post doesn't make any sense whatsoever. It is just jibberish which tells about a problem, and no solutions. And dogs are living things. Just because you feel like the ultimate human, the alpha species, doesn't mean that the other animals should starve and die. Especially dogs. If you throw stones at a human, do you expect that person to smile back at you? Same is the case with dogs as well. You say in your profile that you studied dogs. Well from your blog, you have proven that you don't know anything about dogs.!!
Your ideology is as foolish as your research and article. I recommend you stop your research and get on the ground itself to see what feeding the stray really is, It’s easy to write such a stupid article at the comfort of your home however none have an idea what the life of our poor streeties is, Each day they live must be an achievement for them, Hungry, Scared, Getting Run over, Getting hit by people is what they face daily and you wanna put them all in shelters? Have you even visited a shelter atleast once in your life to see their conditions? The shelters are already flooded with injured and sick animals and they’re already struggling to meet ends. And who would bare their expenses in the shelters if your opinion is even considered ? Next time Think through before writing something & Publishing !
In developed countries, like countries of Europe, USA, etc. dog lovers behave responsibly. Legally they are required to remove the poop of the dog they take out of their home for walking. Here in India, so called dog lovers behave totally responsibly, they neither care for the general sanitation nor safety of the children who are attacked by the dogs they feed. They simply want to show some animal compassion at the cost and safety of poor children playing on the street. Every year million children become victim of stray dog attack and have to undergo rabies vaccine in addition to treatment for their wounds. Let them show real compassion, not only for dogs but also for their fellow human being to sound genuine.
My dear writer of this article, you have a right to voice your opinion. But do you think there are enough shelters in our country to keep all stray dogs and cats? There not enough even for sick and injured and old animals, forget for healthy ones. Right now only ABC seems to be a sensible solution. If you have any better ideas, please include them in the article, talk to feeders and NGOs who struggle every single day. I wish you had done a little more research. Anyways, good luck.
Feeding animals on the streets is just public nuisance, that leaves dogs expecting food from everyone and creating daily conflict between them and people. It has nothing to do with the welfare of homeless dogs, who are still suffering on the streets. If people genuinely care for these animals, they should make the effort of taking care of them in shelters. Throwing some scraps of food at them is skin to giving spare change to beggars - makes people feel very good about themselves but does nothing for the plight of those people.
Why can't we give food ? Why can't these speechless animals be fed in the public places ? Like roadside, an empty field, an old abandoned building, near river, near the park, or near the beach.? Who created street animals? How did they come to the existence? Well nature created them just like it created us and humans have made them into the street aniamls. First humans destroyed every living animal's habitat for their selfish needs and now humans want to kill everything because these poor street and wild animals are coming on their path. People should have thought about these things before destroying the habitat of living things of the mother Earth. Remaining in the topic I would like to say . Since these animals have been dumped on the street by their selfish owners who thought of playing with them for a few days and when they got fed up of them they left the dogs on the road, now these dogs and cats or any street animals can not speak the language we speak and cannot work and earn money, where should they go ? Is there anybody who can give them an area to live ? What is the fault of these poor homeless animals ? And as far as the nature is concerned everyone belongs to this Earth. The Earth is the home of everyone and everything. Humans have created the cities and put restrictions on helpless , speechless animals and birds. Which is the area of humans? Which is the area of animals ? If people want to say dont feed on the road then I would like to make a request please neuter the street animals they will not reproduce and also kindly separate the large area for these street animals in every city and village where they can live in peace and people can go and feed them in peace. Please remember street animals like dogs, cats,cows,goats,bulls,birds,pigs have been created by people who live in the cities by abandoning them on the road to suffer , these animals did not decide to live on the road , it is not their choice. They would love to live in a house or in their own habitat like we do.
The gist of the matter is that as far as environmental capacity of eco system is concerned it is regarding all species including humans not only animals.
These animals have equal rights to walk on the road as humans have. Articles are only on paper and is not implemented in real life. NGOs and INGOS are not created by animals, again it is by humans therefore NGOs should be checked and should reminded and make them do their job by the concern authorities.
This is a highly irresponsible and poorly researched piece. I had a high regard for the vetting of articles and data by the Down to Earth editorial board. The piece does not at all engage with the landscape of NGOs and the poor resources they work with for sterilising dogs in the country. State governments invest extremely little in this area which is over-run by a range of private entities in animal welfare. In many hospitals the state governments have not even stocked enough anti-rabies vaccines.
The authors have not spoken to any member in the collective of NGOs and the sources are seriously un-balanced. Even in terms of environment and conservation research, this is a highly anthropocentric piece that does not even consider new research on human-non-human engagements and conflict-resolution.
There is no data on the shelters and the poor infrastructures under which NGOs and charitable organisations function for a range of animals, not just stray dogs. There is no interrogation whatsoever on why dogs that stay in packs are becoming aggressive towards humans? Why is it so? It is almost as if there is no introspection whatsoever on the part of humans and how they engage with dogs and other species in their urban environment.
What about violence towards stray dogs and feeders? What about the fact that a human killing a stray dog will not even bear heavy penalties for that act of violence under Indian law(s)? There is no distinction whatsoever made between the variety of feeders and it is almost as if feeders are compassionate fools who care for animals without any thought or idea of sustainable urban environment. What about the fact that feeders are harassed by RWAs? Or that many feeders re-arrange their schedules to ensure they feed dogs during hours when humans are not around.
Is the urban environment only the preserve of humans? Please note the human population is also exceeding beyond limits. It would also be responsible for human beings to not have children to protect the environment's depleting resources.
Why do u want to snatch away their food, these poor creatures depend on humans for food aren't dogs run over by vehicles,beaten by humans so what is your problem if some kind souls feed them ,earth belongs to every creature ,not only humans ,stop writing such stupid articles henceforth,u r heartless person ,every living organism is a threat to the other ,that doesn't mean that u have the right to drive them away
What a bullshit of an article! What’s next killing beggars and street kids cause they too behave in this pattern and are more risky carriers of Corona? Pls grow up and look at these with a mature and broader perspective rather than the cowards way out......I am reporting this one for sure.:.
This is such a utopian theory. To assume that shelters can take in this many dogs or that a single feeder can adopt so many dogs is plain ignorant. The second theory of more resources means more dogs so to decrease the number of dogs, they shouldn’t be fed!! That just makes me laugh so hard! I mean, if any specie population should be kept under check, its us humans. So should the same theory be applied here?
I understand that a few dogs cause problems for some humans, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to pass a blanket judgment where all dogs are considered hostile or violent. With that kind of viewpoint, if one human misbehaves with you, all humans must pay the price?!
Also, I think a lot of us take responsibility for the dogs we feed. I have gotten dogs neutered and vaccination with my own funds. So again, assuming that people just feed the dogs and don’t take further responsibility is really naive.
Shireen Bhalla this is thee worst article I have ever read. I don't know how could any website or new paper posted such article just for some more comments the site will loose its readers for sure. Well the world we are living is a free world its not any private property, the roads in which animals Rome are their property as well, if some one runs above your flat you get irritated and shout same does they if u run in their property they will shout and make you run. Unless teaching them how to behave why don't you learn and make your children learn how to behave with living being.
This article is almost laughable way of being prejudice. The calculations could be apt and have just been thrown in to make reader believe that there is proper research gone into the article. The author claim (at several places, in quotations marks) that individuals involving in animal welfare do not take responsibility other than feeding cute dogs, however those individuals or groups actualy take care of vaccinations, sterilizations and other medical conditions of Dogs and other strays. The article could have been better posed as devil's advocate to show that sometimes it bothers other people when there are large pack of dogs in public places but to offer shelters as solution shows that little to no research have been made when it came to offer solutions. Shelters are over booked, under staffed and under funded. Those feeders this article so viciously is trying to attack are doing what little they can do to ensure that those animals can have a little better life. The only solution for strays in any country is education of general public (people abondoning their pets or not preferring desi breeds for adoption), increase in number of shelters and most importantly those "feeders" who are taking this cause forward one day at a time.
Your idea for not feeding a stray dog is a worst idea. The strays are not interfering in the society but we people are interfering in the ecology. By this idea of yours you are trying to decrease the idegenous breeds of our country and just attracted by the foreign ones.
Your idea for not feeding a stray dog is a worst idea. The strays are not interfering in the society but we people are interfering in the ecology. By this idea of yours you are trying to decrease the idegenous breeds of our country and just attracted by the foreign ones.
This is an irresponsible and biased article. It is true that people who feed the dogs have to be responsible about it and it is a source of eternal conflict between neighbours. The point of aggressive street dogs is utterly baseless because dogs never bite unless we hurt them. There have been incidents of stray dog bites but they are rare. What has to change is people's attitude towards dogs. Most Indians see dogs with disdain and revulsion. When society as a whole takes responsibility for the stray dogs, these dogs can live cleaner and healthier lives. It is our fault that they are dirty, malnourished and are psychologically unstable. We have overpopulated the earth and taken away their chance at living decent lives. Seems like these two authors have never been loved. Poor you! Perhaps you should bring a dog into your lives and you will stop hating the world around you.
The article has a dark perspective to view at a community situation and carries suggestions outside the spirit of the constitution of India and purview of the law.
Animal Birtb Control is a humane, scientific and evidence based programme which has shown complete positive results when implemented correctly. Dogs should not pay for the failure of implemention of the programme by government in some places. What needs to stop is callous breeding of dogs in puppy mills, pet shops, private owners and abandonment on streets. Shelters are hospitals, streets are homes for the community dogs. Harmonious co- existence of dogs and humans is possible if each citizen choose to act compassionately and decide not to hit, hate and prevent others from taking care of the dogs on streets. If not then today it's pigeon and dogs, tomorrow it will be your neighbour and a homeless human being.
This is really just a diatribe against people who feed stray dogs under the guise of "research". It wouldn't even deserve a comment except for the fact that a respected journal such as DTE has given it a platform.
There is enough proper research to indicate that the ABC program (sterilisation) to control the stray dog population works.
And feeding strays makes them less aggressive.
Which is why these guidelines have been issued by the AWBI and ratified by several court orders including the Supreme Court.
If the ABC program hasn't worked as well as it should have, Municipal Corporations are to blame for not even attempting to implement it and withholding funds to those NGOs who are diligently going about it, making them dependent on private donations.
What solutions are the authors suggesting? Rounding up the dogs and putting them in shelters. Where is the space? Have the authors visited any of the shelters in the city- they're overcrowded and many of the animals are kept in tiny cages. A jail.
Even in Developed countries where stray animal populations are under control, dog shelters are overwhelmed with pets thrown out because their owners no longer wanted them.
Alternatively, what is implied is to starve the dogs to death. Unfortunately, our waste management won't allow that to happen.
We humans think that the Earth has been created for us to the exclusion of all other living beings.
We do nothing to control our population and have occupied more and more land and resources forcing animals into smaller and smaller habitats.
What solution do the authors have for that?
As for the responsibility of individuals who feed dogs. Are there any places "not frequented by people"?
As to the danger posed to the safety and lives of citizens- most of the strays who are fed regularly by people are friendly and not aggressive- especially inside complexes where they are familiar with the residents.
The number of dog bites and deaths due to rabies may seem alarming, but these are a fraction of the number of vehicular accidents in a year and the deaths caused by them. Do the authors suggest banning all vehicles to avoid these deaths?
Just to be clear, this is a problem that needs to be tackled, but the authors have not come up with a "better solution" than the ABC program. And that needs to be implemented more conscientiously by the municipal corporations or providing proper support to NGOs.
SHAME on your article on STRAYS dogs. Your hate for animals is evident in your so called blog. Banglore is a dirty place I have visited it twice and better to stay away from it. It is a dirty place not because of dogs but becuase of humans. If you can feed cows why not dogs. Dogs eating from trash is their helpness and not their choice. You are a person who preaches hate for animals. Be a good human 1st then try throwing all the references that you did in your so called disgusting blog.
Whosoever is the writer of this article , should definitely not bother to write anything ever again and bless the world by eliminating one more evil, biased and hatred filled person from the writing world.
Never have I ever read a more disgusting, distasteful and biased work . You guys are the ones who need to be kept hungry and put into so called shelters by the feeders and rescuers. Who do you think you are, to tell that street dogs should not be fed just cause a few in so many bite, chase, bark at night. By this way of thinking, I feel every human and his kids should be made to go through the same treatment , when they behave rowdily, violently and in an uncivilized manner.
You won't say or do that but when it comes to beings with no voice of their own , you start your netagiri.
Don't know anything good or positive to spread, just STOP !
Biased, misinformed and downright stupid. All this 'article' does is reveal your inherent perceived superiority and your shallow, obtuse disposition. Wrong on so many levels.
Have you not been taught compassion?
You are outright dog hater. I mean you took so much time to spread hatred against these poor souls. And DTE you published this baseless stupid article. Wow.
Dear Author,
You seem to not understand that you have intruded in their areas instead of other way round. You seem to have never visited the shelters that you have mentioned, please visit you'll understand the plight of the dogs.
CoVid-19 has given us ample experience of how it feels to stay locked in the house, but you seem to be unperturbed by it. Hence, I feel you are a selfish soul who can only write hate and I also see a vested interest in this article as it is as vague as Rahul Gandhi's speeches.
I agree of dedicated feeding point but sending dogs to shelter or stop feeding is to the hilt inhumane. You seem to be a lonely soul god bless you with company that teaches you compassion.
Team at DTE you guys should be ashamed to publish such articles, moderating the comments but not the articles... Just to fill your page you just can't let bullshit like this be published... Shameful journalism... Instead of boycotting China we should first boycott irresponsible journalism because half of the problems stems from you guys being callous about issue that can lead to grave consequences...
Shame on you guys
The writer has absolutely no experience when it comes to dogs, one that cannot be acquired by writing a thesis. I have been feeding, adopting, vaccinating and sterilising stray dogs and cats for years and it goes against everything Shireen Bhalla claims to 'know'. Why is she targeting the general public? Why not the civic bodies who are responsible for sterilising and starting shelter homes?
This is a a very biased and one sided opinion. Like someone else said in one of the comments I read here, why do we live with the belief that this planet is only for our free movement and existence? You have stated that the ABC program has had barely any success in the 20 years that it has been implemented. What about all the other issues in our country? There is an endless list. What about swacch bharat and garbage management? What about poverty, corruption, overpopulation and all the million other issues that the government can control but hasn't done anything about. Why pick on a group of people who want to feed animals? Yes, care must be taken in the way things are done. I agree that people who feed dogs should ensure they don't litter, get the dogs sterilized and vaccinated. Stray dogs that have become aggressive or bite are the way they are because of humans and their intolerance. They have been chased, beaten, run over, pelted stones at and abused. Instead of showing compassion and Sharing the earth with them, people teach their children to be averse to dogs, to not go near them, scream, and throw things at them. Yes, I get that not everybody likes dogs. But do you scream and shoo away a bird every time you see one? Please do your research and focus on other pressing issues before publishing toxic articles like this.
I'm in Chandigarh. I also have a dog. It's obvious that I love dogs but stray dogs are really a nuisance so much so that I am unable to take my dog for walks and send my husband for that. Three dogs are right outside at my doorstep. Then a little further at one direction there arre 5....6 big stray dogs one of whom had bitten my dog a year back, then they gave birth to 4 more n now there's a pack of 10..11 Whole day they are running everywhere. Don't know what to do and how to bring all this to the administration's notice.
This has got to be one of the most human-centric (better word is ‘anthropocentricism’ used in an earlier comment), self-interested, negative, hard-hearted, suffering-provoking and totally misleading article – if there was ever one put out by Down to Earth!
1. What a shame, the title of the article did not say: Thank you feeders for your compassion: Can we help to explore better ways of sustaining safety of street animals and promoting “One Health” Program?
2. What a shame, 1.39 billion people (many of whom claim to be intellectuals and technocrats) do not have alternative ways to provide better life for just 50 million strays other than palming them off to shelters. Authors seem to believe “Out of Sight – Out of Mind”! Have they even thought through on how shelters can be managed in case all dogs are shifted?
3. The article says the population of strays in Bengaluru alone increased from 0.18 million in 2013 to 0.3 million in 6 years! Not sure where the figures are from!! Nevertheless, what a shame the article did not say during which time human population increased from 9.36 million to 12.28 million by 2020 at an annual growth rate of about 4% (https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/bangalore-population/). Please not each human with a life span of an average ~60 years of burden on earth in comparison with average age of ~8 years for strays! Humans got to be the most invasive species in this planet.
4. What a shame, the article did not say, the most prolific species of all – the humans have encroached suburban and rural spaces meant for villagers and their animals including dogs, cats and cattle. Animals continue to be chased, relocated and even killed. Jakkur village mentioned in the above article is a prime example of such an area; wherein thousands of urban humans have settled with many from other places coming in driving away animals and destroying biodiversity! It is Karnataka Land, Air and Water – yet Karnataka dogs seem to be an irritation or out of place for many from other states!!!!! Hypocrisy and Injustice at its best!
contd........1
5. Feeding dogs is actually a good thing – may it be some scraps, biscuits at corner bakeries, home-cooked meals with karmic devotion by a private home owner or a college hosteller. Wonder if the two authors of the above article fit into any of these above categories or do they belong to the kind who look at children of the lesser dogs and only think ways of getting rid of them out of their sight. In fact, one of the authors had earlier collected data for the project work seeking public opinion and even suggesting culling of dogs as one of the options & a way to get rid of them!!! So I am not surprised that this substandard, self-centered article has come forth showing the meanness and ‘holier (superior) than though’ attitude towards the voiceless! It is really sad, Down to Earth and ATREE as affiliates have been associated (in one way or another) with this solely human-centric opinion against life of others – although it is mentioned that the opinion is that of the authors only. It is absolutely shocking a person of the caliber of Dr. Abi T. Vanak is a co-author!
6. With all due respects to conditions put forth by AWBI and Delhi High Court, the question is – where and when exactly should the hungry dogs be fed when people are swarming everywhere and at all times? There is never a safe place and time all because there are very few people who are concerned for starving dogs and favour feeding and even become victims of abuses and physical attacks by those who do not care! There are several such incidences that have come to light and the sad thing is that the abused feeders do not get sufficient help from the authorities in time. Please click this link and see for yourself how the above article from Good Earth can further instigate such violent incidences! https://www.facebook.com/Neighbourhoodwoof/videos/325924645244153/
7. What a shame, the authors seem to be hell-bent picking on the voiceless and turning a blind eye to the atrocities created by humans on humans. Here are statistics of various kinds of crime and deaths in India! An average of 80 murders, 289 kidnappings and 91 rapes were reported daily across the country in 2018, said the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in its (https://ncrb.gov.in/sites/default/files/Crime%20in%20India%202018%20-%20Volume%201.pdf) report ‘Crime in India’ in 2018. Just these three categories translate to about 167,000 deaths per year. Not to mention categories due to various other reasons, road accidents, drug abuse, medical negligence etc. The authors need to be barking up on this tree instead of the tree of voiceless creatures!
Contd......2
8. The article says “There are, therefore, many strong reasons to start getting stray dogs off the streets and into shelters“! Absolute nonsense! This is such a dumb statement in their article without any understanding of the conditions of shelters here in India. It shows the ignorance of these authors. Have they done any research on the existing shelters in and around Bangalore? Obviously not!! They know nothing of the reality and yet have the audacity to suggest such senseless solutions. Do they have any idea of how over-burdened, under-funded, disease & filth -ridden, under-staffed these existing shelters are? Would the authors be able to start Shelters that meet the standards to house all the street dogs? If so, please do it. Create shelters at least close to utopia and then write articles in Down to Earth and conduct surveys– easy said than done!!!!
9. The article says “There is an ecological concept called the ‘carrying capacity of the environment’. It is the population of a species that can be supported by a particular environment given the resources and habitat.”
This is perhaps the only statement that makes any sense in this entire article. But it is a statement that is highly relevant to the human species only, multiplying like there is no tomorrow and in the process usurping acres after acres leaving not much for others and making inhumane disruptions. Oh- by the way, does the authors’ statement apply to motor vehicles? Can the authors take on the auto industry, government and people who have a car or more than one car? What about elephants that are dying by the dozens because of human greed? Would the authors think of Shelters for elephants too? How about it?
10. What a shame, the authors seem to be against the meaningful name of their own affiliate organization “Down to Earth”. The authors, like many people, seem to be under the assumption that trash piles loaded with poisonous leftovers are good enough for the street animals. This is what is called arrogance with comforts of plenty and someone who has not experienced real hunger because these days, people live in posh pampered enclaves and know nothing of the street level problems first hand!! Teams of COMPASSIONATE citizens are trying to make sure every life deserved at least one good meal a day – Is this so hard to understand for Down to Earth scholars??
Contd.......311. What a shame the authors have left a big gaping hole in their research as it does not take into account of how people who feed and show compassion to the dog population are also hugely responsible for getting the street dogs spayed/neutered and vaccinated. At least those which are under their control to access! Such people by doing so are fulfilling their constitutional duty as true citizens of India (Article 51 (G) – protection and compassion for living creatures. Authors: Hello- next time- before writing such non-scholarly articles, discuss in detail with at least a few feeders, go with them to the streets, visit shelters, discuss with others who believe in such benevolence instead of resting in conceit of comfort!
12. A study by an international charity for orphaned and abandoned children (https://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/india-now-home-20-million-orphans-study-finds) found that India is home to 20 million orphans, a figure projected to increase by 2021. And you all may know very well how these children are treated / sold / used and abused!! Shouldn’t you be addressing this problem as a matter of priority? Why are you picking on voiceless subjects? Why are you so selectively uncompassionate and even cruel by neither helping orphan children (at least through your scholarly authorship) nor voiceless animals! You are just looking for an easy way out by picking on strays!!!
13. To the authors comment “… it has been nearly 20 years since the ABC programme was supposed to have been rolled out in cities across the country and still, the scene on the streets has barely changed with respect to dogs” the answer is may be that – In this 20 years ABC programme was never continuous. It has always been a half-hearted attempt by the authorities including non-payment to NGOs working for ABC! By the time the discontinued ABC programme gets started every time there is a break, few heat cycles pass and dogs would have multiplied once again leaving all the past good work undone – so who is to be blamed here???? So authors must better understand the ground reality before making such irresponsible and senseless comments on the ABC programme. Also it can be guaranteed that they have not been anywhere near any ABC Centre to see what is going on.
Contd.......3
11. What a shame the authors have left a big gaping hole in their research as it does not take into account of how people who feed and show compassion to the dog population are also hugely responsible for getting the street dogs spayed/neutered and vaccinated. At least those which are under their control to access! Such people by doing so are fulfilling their constitutional duty as true citizens of India (Article 51 (G) – protection and compassion for living creatures. Authors: Hello- next time- before writing such non-scholarly articles, discuss in detail with at least a few feeders, go with them to the streets, visit shelters, discuss with others who believe in such benevolence instead of resting in conceit of comfort!
12. A study by an international charity for orphaned and abandoned children (https://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/india-now-home-20-million-orphans-study-finds) found that India is home to 20 million orphans, a figure projected to increase by 2021. And you all may know very well how these children are treated / sold / used and abused!! Shouldn’t you be addressing this problem as a matter of priority? Why are you picking on voiceless subjects? Why are you so selectively uncompassionate and even cruel by neither helping orphan children (at least through your scholarly authorship) nor voiceless animals! You are just looking for an easy way out by picking on strays!!!
13. To the authors comment “… it has been nearly 20 years since the ABC programme was supposed to have been rolled out in cities across the country and still, the scene on the streets has barely changed with respect to dogs” the answer is may be that – In this 20 years ABC programme was never continuous. It has always been a half-hearted attempt by the authorities including non-payment to NGOs working for ABC! By the time the discontinued ABC programme gets started every time there is a break, few heat cycles pass and dogs would have multiplied once again leaving all the past good work undone – so who is to be blamed here???? So authors must better understand the ground reality before making such irresponsible and senseless comments on the ABC programme. Also it can be guaranteed that they have not been anywhere near any ABC Centre to see what is going on.
Contd.......311. What a shame the authors have left a big gaping hole in their research as it does not take into account of how people who feed and show compassion to the dog population are also hugely responsible for getting the street dogs spayed/neutered and vaccinated. At least those which are under their control to access! Such people by doing so are fulfilling their constitutional duty as true citizens of India (Article 51 (G) – protection and compassion for living creatures. Authors: Hello- next time- before writing such non-scholarly articles, discuss in detail with at least a few feeders, go with them to the streets, visit shelters, discuss with others who believe in such benevolence instead of resting in conceit of comfort!
12. A study by an international charity for orphaned and abandoned children (https://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/india-now-home-20-million-orphans-study-finds) found that India is home to 20 million orphans, a figure projected to increase by 2021. And you all may know very well how these children are treated / sold / used and abused!! Shouldn’t you be addressing this problem as a matter of priority? Why are you picking on voiceless subjects? Why are you so selectively uncompassionate and even cruel by neither helping orphan children (at least through your scholarly authorship) nor voiceless animals! You are just looking for an easy way out by picking on strays!!!
13. To the authors comment “… it has been nearly 20 years since the ABC programme was supposed to have been rolled out in cities across the country and still, the scene on the streets has barely changed with respect to dogs” the answer is may be that – In this 20 years ABC programme was never continuous. It has always been a half-hearted attempt by the authorities including non-payment to NGOs working for ABC! By the time the discontinued ABC programme gets started every time there is a break, few heat cycles pass and dogs would have multiplied once again leaving all the past good work undone – so who is to be blamed here???? So authors must better understand the ground reality before making such irresponsible and senseless comments on the ABC programme. Also it can be guaranteed that they have not been anywhere near any ABC Centre to see what is going on.
contd.........4
13. To the authors comment “… it has been nearly 20 years since the ABC programme was supposed to have been rolled out in cities across the country and still, the scene on the streets has barely changed with respect to dogs” the answer is may be that – In this 20 years ABC programme was never continuous. It has always been a half-hearted attempt by the authorities including non-payment to NGOs working for ABC! By the time the discontinued ABC programme gets started every time there is a break, few heat cycles pass and dogs would have multiplied once again leaving all the past good work undone – so who is to be blamed here???? So authors must better understand the ground reality before making such irresponsible and senseless comments on the ABC programme. Also it can be guaranteed that they have not been anywhere near any ABC Centre to see what is going on.
14. Authors say “Belief in the efficacy of the ABC programme is worsening the problem at an alarming rate. We need to move past the illusion that this will work and use a better solution.” The efficacy of the ABC programme is neither an absolute belief nor an illusion. It is the most practical and humane solution. If conducted properly by the authorities it is the most effective programme. Half-baked knowledge of the ground reality and lack of participation from people who are happy to be key-board talkers disguised under the titles such as Down to Earth / Biodiversity & Conservation is the reason that the ABC programme is hobbling along. It is absolutely shocking that the authors despite their primary or secondary association with premier scientific research and supporting institutions such as ATREE, NCBS, Wellcome Trust, DBT and planet saving concepts such as, Animal Conservation, Livelihoods, Endangered Species Research, seemed to have ignored the possibility of exploring R&D opportunities to make ABC medical procedure more efficient to implement across urban and rural areas. This could be taken as a challenge by Down to Earth, ATREE and others the authors seem to have a close affiliation to. How about it? You need to walk the talk & not just keyboard tapping
contd.......5
15. The article says, “The bottom line is that as long as resources are available in the environment, dogs will continue to enter the environment. It is time for individuals to accept personal responsibility in stray dog management”.
Can the above authors with affiliation to “Down to Earth” / ATREE lead a street protest against the butchers who throw discards, people who throw garbage and the government which may be turning a blind eye to all of their action or inaction creating food resources on the streets! We the feeders will join in big numbers. The top line is that the authors must now lead the change on the streets of Bengaluru and not hide behind electronic screens and mind-numbing radiation? Do let us know a date and time! We will be there?
16. The bottom line from the feeders is that: If the authors and affiliates cannot be part of the solution either by convincing / encouraging oneself and each resident or a group of residents to adopt street dogs or making sure to build more shelters of high quality, they certainly shouldn’t be writing such an article of high bias and hypocrisy! What a shame! Come on – 1.39 billion people vs. 50 million strays! Can be managed! For example, if each resident and an organization in Jakkur adopts one street dog or one of the pups looking for pet parents, the problem is over at least for Jakkur if not for Bengaluru! Any takers daring for this viable solution?
17. Just one deeply committed person working over many years in the area of street canine welfare in Jakkur, has been able to provide care via ABC for over 100 streeties in both urban and rural areas, found families for adoption of over 70 streeties (adults / pups), and rescued many abandoned pups and adults. On a rough calculation basis this has humanely prevented close to 5000 new indies coming up in this cruel-human dominated streets of Jakkur / Bengaluru / a few villages. Well there are a few others who have done and doing a lot more. Imagine more such people for a Win-Win to all! Authors: Please volunteer.
18. I hereby challenge the authors their affiliates and families to join to use our example of a viable solution.
I read the blog consisting of half baked truths and human failures being imputed on voiceless companions we have whether we want them or not. Human specie undoubtedly consists of the most selfish species and consider earth as their birthright while denying rights to every other specie. Unabashed falsity in the so called piece of writing :
From an animal welfare perspective, most of these dogs receive very little else other than food — they don’t get vaccinated nor are sterilised. Indeed, in many cases, feeders or homeowners directly or indirectly prevent municipal authorities from catching dogs for sterilisation.
in most of the areas, dog feeders have assumed the arduous, dangerous, back breaking and financial draining responsibility of feeding, medical care, rescue and sterilisation at their own expenses while the Governmentsj and AWBI have systematically shunned away and neglected to shoulder the responsibilities. Sending a dog to treatment is not less than Rs.5000 to 10,000/- depending upon his condition which task should be done by the socalled NGOs minting money from Government coffers as highlighted in this piece of shit.
People have come to assume that dogs are a natural part of our urban environment. Following that logic is the conviction that ‘the dogs are there, so they must be fed somehow.’
I am fifty years old and since my childhood, I have not found a single street where there are no dogs or dog feeders. so its natural to assume. Do you live in some other place or may be an insensitive upscale society where small pups are thrown away separated from mothers and beaten to death
. Indeed, the Delhi High court (2017) ruled that feeding dogs, even in private property, should not cause nuisance to neighbours. A Supreme Court judgement banned the feeding of pigeons even from one’s own balcony due to nuisance that it can cause to other occupants. The feeding of dogs in public places should attract a similar ban.
This is clear misrepresentation of a good judgement and is bound to create misunderstanding. While the author has forgotton to read Punjab and Haryana HIgh Court Judgements, he is manipulating the words of the judges.
Born out of ‘compassion’ is a more than 0.3 million stray population (just in Bengaluru), that is often sick, badly treated, and growing in numbers
Its defamation of Bengaluru people and if it is true, I feel sorry for them as a fellow sepian
Sir, the human failures is causing stress, .elimination, hunger, starvation and encroachment of habitats. The author needs to improve the research method and read more into legal provisions he has so confidently elucidated
In my view, poeple living in small clusters with no economic means are far better than well read, so called researchers. They share their food with all creature around them.
The Government and AWBI should come forward and help the feeders to contain the population of canines who are the only animals left to live with us peacefully.
At the end, please visit a shelter where dogs eat the other dogs for there is so much corruption that NGOs eat the food meant for dogs. .
And further, your words are inciting in nature for all those animal haters who maim, kill, throw acid, rape of dogs. If you read the Constitution, it has a chapter on Duties also in which compassion to animals is a Constitutional Duty.
Constitutional Rights are subject to reasonable restrictions and your right to roam freely is shared by all.
After reading this nonsense blog, the first thing I pray is to stop all resources of food for this blog writer. Probably, then only he will realise the condition of those helpless animals. The society gets polluted for such inhuman attitude. The stray dogs are never harmful, unless such nonsense people create trouble for them. Love them, feed the plenty, help them in need, so that they will neither fight, nor chase you. Don't follow such nonsense idiotic post. Show humanity. Help helpless animals as much as you can. God will shower His blessings.
Like you said "no one should face danger from animals while going through their daily business" , same applies to them , they also shouldn't face any danger from humans (like you ) . Show your superiority in a good manner , write some sense . As much as you have the right to live and roam around in the streets , they have it too. There is a thing if you can't love those pure souls , it's because you are full of hatred . I just hope no children get this as their teachings. You write no sense.
It's been years I have been working for the street dogs, here in Northeast India and not for a single moment I felt any danger . Danger is from people like you who are so cruel , who knows what you are capable of doing . And about your research , please first widen your thoughts and then study something good for your hopeless brain.
I know you guys are not going to Post this comment. Shame on you for spreading hatred and congratulations for becoming inhuman.
Feeding strays increases the number of pups, by a female dog. The number of pups depends on ease of food availability.
I feel there are enough people who feed dogs, so I dont need to stop them, but I should not contribute to the population explosion of dogs.
The dog menace is a man-made problem, and unless we take personal responsibility, and manage our food waste responsibly there is no solution here.
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