The stray dogs issue has left many nerve-wracked in the country. Those against the dogs being on the streets present their stories of dog bites, attacks, and nuisance value. Dog lovers make their case on humaneness. They say that it is not the dogs’ fault that they’ve grown so huge in numbers. It is because of the lack of the authorities’ anticipation and failure to plan and implement practical humane methods to control their population that their numbers have grown so much. They add that it is unthinkable that we get rid of the voiceless dogs through merciless shortcuts.
Both sides have made valid points.
So do we just exterminate the innocent animals? Cull them, kill them, encourage free-meat seekers to pick up a stray dog whenever they like and kill it for the free meat? Are we totally abandoning the notion that dogs are “man’s best friend”? That our kids are still taught this at school? Are we going to demonstrate to them how good notions turn into bad overnight?
Do we, a civilised society, merely declare that “the dogs will be picked up and moved outside the city areas”? To which areas? where are the “permanent shelters”, for 1 million stray dogs (of Delhi alone)? Where are the preparations?
Without the infrastructure, it is plain hoodwinking. Capturing the hapless dogs (very cruelly too, often) and dumping them in a strange place, with strange, very possibly unfriendly accompanying dogs – some very strong, some weak – is not a solution behoving a civilised society.
The dogs, who also establish a might-based hierarchy among themselves, would in no time get at each others’ throats. They would even fight to the death for every little morsel of food they might come across.
The bench now hearing the case in the Supreme Court have said that things should be “done as per the rules”. One hopes that, in keeping with humaneness, “as per the rules” will translate as putting in place a well-conceived and dedicatedly implemented sterilisation programme for the stray dog population to reduce over time. Followed properly, this compassionate method could well lead us (at least close to) the ‘zero stray dogs’ position accomplished by countries like Singapore, Bhutan and Norway. These countries didn’t collect their stray dogs and kill them off. They adopted the humane path of sterilisation and it took a decade or two for them to succeed. And their humaneness and dedication is being lauded the world over. Deservingly so.
It took us about 6 million years to develop from apes to homo sapiens. Another 300,000 years to begin to be civilised. And it was about 5 to 6 thousand years ago that we began adopting more civilised methods of conducting and governing ourselves. We now recognise basic civil and human rights.
It takes a long time to move on from ancient practices of autocracies, despots, invasions, wars, loot, plunder, slavery, torture, etc. Should we adamantly lose our civility with such harsh and inhumane actions? Playing to a political gallery would cause this undoubtedly. It would set back our progress by several hundred years at the least.
Society can be progressive in just one direction – forward. We must never deviate from moving forward.
The dogs have no voice. Whatever their innate nature – and it is almost entirely lovable and loving – was created by the same Creator who created us superior humans. We have a voice, a say, a right to plead, protest, and resist on matters that concern us. Where is the harm in using it large-heartedly to protect and treat our voiceless co-habitants fairly. Even Mahatma Gandhi had thought so.
This is the least expected of a civilised people.
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#dogs #straydogs #straydogmenace #delhistraydogs #straydogscourtmatter #animals #strayanimals #humanenessfordogs #animalcruelty #playingtothegallery #doglovers #behumane #bekindtoanimals #voicelesscreatures #bethevoiceofthevoiceless #voiceforanimals
(Also published in The Hitavada, Nagpur, on 15 Jan 2026)
Can’t understand why we don’t follow countries like Netherland and Germany where they adapt and look after the dogs like family members. When educated in India behave like enemy of animals, judiciary have biased mindset, where these poor dogs will go.
It’s really sad that many people run after fixing their karmas by performing good deeds like helping needy people and feeding stray animals only after someone has educated them to get additional momentum in their business or personal lives. A basic behaviour towards these unspoken stray animals should be inherited from their schools as an extra curricular civics activities for a better tomorrow.
Until then, we can voice our opinion and support pet lovers & NGOs standing for them.