My post on: www.newsyaps.com
‘Save the Tiger’ is a slogan that has garnered a lot of popularity among the general public. With personalities like M.S Dhoni, Baichung Bhutia and Surya lending their support and voices to campaigns for protecting the mighty cat; the movement has managed to reach a huge majority of the Indian Population. It makes sense that we save rare species of animals and preserve their natural habitats. Saving tigers is one of those things which can be justified as the animal in question doesn’t roam about freely on the streets posing a threat to life. But can the same be said about the stray dogs? Do we really need to save them?
A few months back while walking from the grocery store to my apartment, I suddenly found a stray dog tailing me. Well anything to do with dogs scares me out of my wits but still I tried to walk normally to avoid spooking it but that didn’t seem to work. It was then that I increased my pace but so did the dog. It was relentless and fearing being bitten by it, I walked into a store nearby hoping it would disappear. But to my horror it walked towards the store as well. It just didn’t want to give up! Several passers-by tried to shoo it away while I made another attempt to walk away from it unnoticed. I carefully crossed the road, but it did the same! I entered a restaurant; it made its way towards it too! That was one resolute and stubborn dog! Cautiously I ran to a nearby auto and as it sped away the dog began running behind it. At long last the auto was out of its sight and the dog was out of mine! I was lucky to be somehow saved from a painful bite and resulting injections; but not everyone is as fortunate as I was! So my question is to all those NGOs who make a lot of clamoring noise about saving these stray dogs- ‘Would you pay for my treatment after you ‘poor dog’ was done with me?’
Read the complete post here: Saving Tigers is okay but must we save dogs?
Stray dogs proliferate due easy availability of food through garbage littered on the streets. Hence curb the garbage and curb strays!
The previous comment is absolutely right. Dogs and crows have multiplied manifold because we haven't stopped our wasteful ways and neither have we learnt to dispose of our wastes. Waste disposal is a big problem. So you will find dogs proliferating. The dogs are even out competing the vultures for food. In places bordering our wildlife sanctuaries, these dogs are known to kill deers etc by chasing in packs.
Unfortunately we don't tackle the root cause of the problem.
Sabyasachi
PS: Trying to run away from a dog or any animal is the worst thing to do. Their natural instinct is to chase.
In our locality people actually come and feed the stray dogs. We're fine with it usually, but now where there was only one dog we have two. The problem I see is that people have stated having causes in their lives. So for every person who doesn't want a stray dog because they fear safety of their child, there are two people who have this holier than thou thinking protecting the dogs saying everyone has the right to live. I'm not for getting rid of the dogs, nor am I saying send them to a place where they will be mistreated, but leaving them on the streets is also not a solution.
I completely agree with you magiceye. Also Nabanita, it could just be a dog following you because if he intended to bite you, he would have done it much ahead of time instead of walking behind you for so long. Young dogs tend to do that sometimes. Also, bigger cities are trying hard to control dog bites and rabies through sterilizations…hope the situation changes soon.
Nature has a natural way of keeping the balance of all living beings. If you like it or not, killing is a natural way of life. Some species fall in the food chain of some other. But the case of the dog is different. Dogs are not wild animals. It has been domesticated for thousands of years and man has a responsibility to see that its population is managed well. Earlier, the muncipalities used to kill stray dogs. And that is the practical way of controlling its population going out of control to become a threat to humanity. It has already become a threat in most parts of India. While I go for a walk, I am scared of the scores of street dogs that occupy the roads. No one can predict what they will do at some opportune moment. After all they are animals- that too spoilt ! Imagine the dangers our children are facing on the roads from these stray dogs ! The whole thing started when an over active lady minister of this country succeeded in amending the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act (POCTA) of 1960 with such clauses that make it impossible for any one including our muncipalities to do any thing positive to prevent the dog menace. India may be lacking in many things. But in POCTA we are the most advanced in the world. That is what some of our animal lovers (I do not know in reality how much they love !) boastfully claim of the new POCTA of India. Thousands in this country die every year due to the most horrendous disease-rabies- spread through dog bites. Yet it is a surprising thing that the authorities are not willing to act, pretending fear about an onslaught from an imaginary super power of the so called animal lovers of the irrational kinds !
Good post Nabanita… I believe that there has to be a mechanism to control these stray dogs. There have been multiple instances in Bangalore were these stray dogs killed children…
Maybe he was being friendly 🙂 dogs are totally lovable creatures.
But yes, the stray dog menace has to be curbed. Neutering is an absolute must.
Naba, I am going to extend this a bit to stray cats too. In a friend's apartment complex, there are two stray cats. Pet-loving people feed them milk and food all the time. But the cats are dirty, they play around in mud all the time and there are kids who love playing with the cats. Obviously out of concern for the kids, my friend and a few others have tried to get the authorities to shoo them away, but you know cats, no matter where you leave them they come back. They've tried to reason with others to not feed those cats so they would go away, but they always say 'What's it going to do to you? Its a poor little cat. Its not harming you is it?'. Well, my point is, are those cats de-clawed? Are stray dogs vaccinated? What happens if a claw accidentally scratches a kid? What about the risk of infection? If folks love them so much, why don't you just take them home? I am terrified myself of stray dogs, what with having been bit and having to take those bloody injections, so I don't think I am wrong if I say that – if you love them, you own them, take them home and keep them on a leash when you come out!
Well they are menace sometimes… just imagine those budh F1 circuit organiser expressions when they saw stray dog on the track. They need to be controlled and bred well.
so u want to slaughter stray dogs coz one followed u a little bit?
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All you had to do was stare back at it and bend down as if you were picking up a stone and hurling it at the doggie. The dog would have ran away for sure.
Getting hurt, bitten injured and all – I will quote an anecdote from a movie. An army officer braves enemy bullets biting cold rigourous regime and comes home on vacation. In his own backyard a coconut falls from the tree on his head and he dies – that's life.
Adopt a stray pup and you will get unconditional love 🙂
Oh believe me he wanted to bite me… !!
Yes we don't… I don't mind dogs in people's homes I mean its their choice but not on the roads pls!!
Agree Raghav!
I feel the same way that I will be persecuted if I say anything against dogs!
agree Amit!
Yes dogs in someone's house is alright by me..but not on the roads!! I am terrified of them!
Agree Deepa… You have said it 'if you love them, you own them, take them home and keep them on a leash when you come out!'
Yes Mithil!
My experience is just one among thousands such cases…As Deepa said above 'if you love them, you own them, take them home and keep them on a leash when you come out!'
Mahesh I am terrified of dogs!! I have nothing against people who love and keep dogs as pets…but Stray Dogs on streets a strict no no!
Nabanita, what you felt with that little incident is unfair.Dont forget we are humans.And as you are aware of the fact that there are NGOs then why dont you make an effort to just ring them up and request to take him/her along with them??? And what i belive is that it is your fear which made you feel so about the incident.
adoption a good idea!
Nabanita, what you felt with that little incident is unfair.Dont forget we are humans.And as you are aware of the fact that there are NGOs then why dont you make an effort to just ring them up and request to take him/her along with them??? And what i belive is that it is your fear which made you feel so about the incident.
I think we need to save dogs too. And if the dog wanted to bite you, it would have. I have a labrador at home, and I know for a fact that he is a million times quicker, and from watching him crunch bones like we'd crunch a mint, I know his jaws have this immense power to powder bones.
Street dogs can't afford to bite people at random. They'd get caught in a minute, and killed. I've seen it happen.
Someone mentioned children on the streets not being safe: honestly, have you seen dogs biting children or children hurtling stones at dogs more? I've seen kids bugging dogs, and them growling at them. I've seen it enough to say, that children need to be taught to behave, with respect. And know that the road is not a playground, to be mindfull and respectfully. Above all, they need to be supervised.
Someone also mentioned that our POCTA is advanced? The fine for murdering an animal, is Rs 100, set in 1960. That's advanced?
Someone said, that there's nothing to fear but fear itself 🙂 I'm scared of the dark, but I do not blame the sun for the darkness.
That being said, I do think that these NGOs that you refer to, have been trying to curb the issue of the dogs, by neutering them. So in effect, they're doing more than anyone else is doing right now, to fix the issue.. not to help us, but to help protect the dogs from us!