Opinion: Loving dogs doesn’t mean hating people; quite the opposite!

Hyderabad: Lately, conversations in the community where I live (in the city of Hyderabad) seem to follow a set pattern when it comes to streeties, often also referred to as strays or indies.

How the conversation about dogs changes from person to person

A person who feels that streeties should not exist—hate is another term for that feeling—would try and explain how many times they have been attacked or bitten for no reason.

When I ask why, I am always told that dogs are irrational and aggressive, and they need no reason to bite. This is patently untrue; there is always an explanation for a dog bite.

If I offer to show them how to get along with dogs, I am met with derision. If I say we can keep the community safe by caring for our street dogs, I am told, with great sarcasm, to keep them at my home. How is that a solution, given that, in Hyderabad alone, the number of street dogs is between 4 and 5 lakhs, by some estimates?

The same conversation with someone who cares for animals would revolve around larger issues: the condition of the neighbourhood, the vaccination and sterilisation status of the dogs and the need for more funds to keep them healthy.

At a time when life is getting tougher for humans in urban areas due to the pressures of crowding, sanitation, inflation, lack of water and dangerous traffic, those same pressures apply even more strongly to animals living on the streets.

I have seen healthy, handsome street animals turn into maimed, injured, pathetic creatures. Almost all dogs beyond the age of one or two are lame permanently or become lame periodically with recurring injuries.

I have seen dogs with horrific broken legs carry on with life amid uncaring humans. Many of the street dogs live foreshortened lives that are full of rejection, hunger, thirst, disease and pain. I have yet to see a street animal die healthy, unmaimed and peacefully. Most die in accidents, or of diseases and alone.

It is not an easy life on the street for animals.

What do the laws say?

The laws in India protect street animals and their right to survive on the streets without relocation, harassment and abuse. I am so proud of India for the degree of civilisation that it exhibits.

But the laws are not a match for determined, cruel actors who torture, run over or otherwise hurt or kill dogs. The truly depraved are hidden within the group of ostensibly responsible citizens who purport not to hate dogs (or even to love them) but find their existence an untenable inconvenience.

They allow all kinds of cruelty to animals to exist.

Anger against humans who just care

Lately, that anger towards animals has also been turned towards other humans who may be dog lovers. By loving or caring for street dogs, we have earned people’s vituperative ire.

Those of us who take on the feeding, care and sterilisation of these poor animal souls do not do so because we get paid for it or seek acknowledgement or some other benefit. Most carers are working into late hours to feed animals at times when no one else will be around to disturb the animals, they have to cover large areas to feed animals in designated areas within their territories (dogs being territorial animals) and they spend from their personal funds or collect money from other generous souls to feed, sterilise, treat and care for animals.

All of this is not thankless—seeing the happy wag and being greeted with excitement by these quadruped souls is an indescribable feeling of joy. But please don’t be under the impression that this labour of love is easy in any way. It is not. And, it actually keeps many people safe even when they don’t think about it or participate in the work.

Everyone should come together

Government and municipal authorities are supposed to take care of street animals since it would be impossible to do it alone.

Community dog-carers are an essential part of the ecosystem of streeties’ lives in India. Abusing us, preventing us from feeding or caring for the animals, only endangers both you and the dogs.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of NewsMeter.