Stray Animals of India- A Menace or Friends?

By Niharika Nautiyal
India is home to a stagering 1.3 billion humans and often we forget that we’re not the only beings on this landmass. We share this with animals of all kinds, including the ones that cohabitate with us in cities and towns- the “stray” animals. However several incidents over the last few years have shed light on the terrible plight of animals on the streets of India. These streets are home to nearly 35 million dogs and the population has increased by 17 percent annually since 2016. Due to these large numbers there have been increased cases of animal cruelty causing uproar amongst animal lovers and reinstating the need for strict implementation of the laws protecting them.

The increase in population of stray dogs has led to a surge in human-animal conflicts across the country leading to various discussions and debates about the importance of coexistence. The planet is home to millions of species but humans often forget to share. There has been an increase in atrocities against strays and there is lack of response and action due to various reasons. Some people who have had unfortunate experiences with dogs on the streets claim that they are a menace and there are ardent believers that dogs are harmful beings. It is important to understand why the conflict occurs in order to reach a peaceful solution.

A majority of dogs on the streets live a very harsh life and spend most of it scavenging for food and shelter. They are often greeted with stones and sticks, sometimes beaten to death for taking a little scrap for their pups or sometimes thrashed to death for trying to take shelter from the pouring rains. Having experienced mostly hostility from humans, most dogs by nature tend to keep to themselves to avoid trouble and sometimes can also become aggressive due to their traumatic experiences. Another cause for cruelty against Indian street dogs is rabies. There are around 20,000 cases of rabies annually in India causing fear amongst people. People also often have an issue with animal excretion on the streets, scattering of garbage around, etc. A way to curb this issue while maintaining hygiene would be to provide meals to the animals as they cannot obtain it without rummaging through waste. If localities practiced clean sanitation methods while encouraging and enabling animal lovers to feed, it would greatly solve the issue of starving, cranky animals on the street and also reduce their affinity to scrounge in the garbage.

There are various reasons for escalation in cruelty cases as a result of increase in homeless dogs- the lack of animal birth control programs and vaccination drives, poorly regulated breeding and selling and abandonment of animals along with many others. As the more ‘intelligent’ species, it is not just our moral responsibility but also a constitutional one to ensure safer streets for humans as well the animals sharing it. [Article 51A (g)]

India’s current street dog policy is the combined consequence of the Constitution, legislation, court rulings and policy recommendations. It is a cognizable offence under IPC Section 428 and Section 429, The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, makes cruelty to animals punishable with fine that may extend to imprisonment, rules enacted under Section 38 of the act, particularly, the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001. The Supreme Court has very clearly stated “Nobody can destroy stray dogs in entirety. They have a right to live”. The court has also emphasised that a sterilisation programme should be vigorously pursued and that street dogs cannot be eliminated just because they exist.

The issue of cruelty towards strays has always existed, leading to more animals being hostile towards humans and often results in the killing of strays. People are also beginning to realise the barbaric ways the strays are often tortured and its leading to more people getting involved in welfare work. We’re also reacting more to animal cruelty cases knowing now that the statistics prove that someone who is violent towards an animal is more likely going to wind up escalating the violent behaviour towards vulnerable people. Social media plays a huge role in highlighting certain incidents of cruelty that collectively catch our attention to bring justice to these innocent animals.

While there are laws to protect animals on the street, the judicious implementation of regulations needs to be renewed and implemented in a well organised manner. There needs to be strict monitoring and crackdown on illegal and pet breeding along with better tracking of pet abandonment. Unfortunately, since the pandemic started there has been an estimated 30% increase in pet abandonment in Bangalore alone, as people are concerned All these factors also result in dumping of animals on the street and over burdening the already existing stray animal welfare system. Organisations like World for All adoptions, STRAW- Stray Relief and Animal Welfare are some of the organisations that are working tirelessly to protect and rehabilitate these animals.

The Indian breed often called ‘stray dogs’, in reality are our country’s original ‘desi’ breeds. The concept of buying a pedigree breed who originally belongs in a different climate is a form of India’s misinformed, classist issue. Indies can be as well mannered, healthy, loving and loyal as any other breed if not more given the right amount of love and care. While it’s imperative to set up efficient and geographically planned animal birth control programs and vaccination drives, it is equally essential to promote the adoption of Indies to tackle the rising population while curbing illegal breeding and abandonment. As a society, people need to come together to tolerate, accept and help animals in distress. Create more awareness about indie adoptions, demand action in the face of cruelty towards the voiceless, taking care of community animals by ensuring they are vaccinated, sterilized and well fed. These little steps can help both humans and animals coexist in harmony.

References

• Animal Welfare Board of India. Roles/ Functions. Available from: http://awbi.org/final/roles-functions/1. [Accessed: 10/6/2020].
• The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Act. (1960). Available from: https://indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/11237/1/the_prevention_of_cruelty_to_animals_act%2C_1960.pdf. [Accessed: 10/6/2020].
• The Indian Express. (2019). Nobody can destroy stray dogs- Supreme Court. Available from: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nobody-can-destroy-stray-dogs-in-entirety-they-have-a-right-to-live-supreme-court/. [Accessed: 10/6/2020].
• Harris. G. (2012). Where Streets are thronged with Strays baring fangs. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/world/asia/india-stray-dogs-are-a-menace.html. [Accessed: 10/6/2020].
• Lakshmin. D. (2020). Adopting street dogs in India gaining popularity. Available from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/04/street-dogs-indies-india-pets/#:~:text=(Learn%20how%20stray%20dogs%20can,garbage%20and%20possibly%20spreading%20diseases.. [Accessed: 10/6/2020].
• Uniyal.M. (2019). The Indian stray dog debate. Available from: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/governance/the-indian-stray-dog-debate-nobody-is-looking-at-the-pets-65681. [Accessed: 10/6/2020].