Stray Dogs

Clean this up!

Stray Dogs are everywhere in Whitefield. Those who love dogs worry about their survival and mistreatment. Those who fear them(often justified) take extended trouble to avoid them. Those who dislike them actively suggest inhumane ways of handling the situation. Bottom line, their presence is worrisome to all residents alike. However, we don’t need to re-invent the wheel. Other cities in India having the same problem have already worked out effective solutions that are summarized below. Note that “culling” or herding dogs to the pound and killing them has never helped any country in the world solve this problem.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AS A COMMUNITY

(4 step process – each one is important)

Eliminate garbage heaps

Domesticate the Dogs: This means you let a few hang around your community in the front without shooing them away. They will “guard” your community and also build trust leading to effective next steps to help sterilize them. They are also very territorial and will guard against new strays coming into the area. Apply for a legal card for this.
Eliminate Garbage Dumps: Its proven that where there is litter and garbage, there will be stray dogs. Whitefield Rising’s Waste Management group is actively working this angle
Feed the Dogs: If you regularly feed them, they will no longer be aggressive and will be very amenable to being led to getting sterilized. “See how easy it is to feed the dogs”
Vaccination and Sterilization: The above three steps will allow the “capturing” of the strays which is generally a HUGE issue in order to avail of the ABC (Animal Birth Control) program. This will then avoid new puppies and the growing population of strays.
Work with your Association and educate your community members and neighbors about the situation with Stray Dogs. This is important so the dog haters don’t hate you as well

WHAT YOU WILL AVOID

Rabies
Overpopulation
Dog bites and Aggression
Howling at night
Hunger related dog fights

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE LAW

You cannot intimidate or threaten someone trying to feed dogs
You cannot beat or intimidate stray dogs
The Government bans the use of Live dogs for research. Support all those campaigns that come your way as they try to stop those that continue to flout this and inflict unimaginable pain on a living being.

Strays being fed systematically

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ADOPTING A DOG, KNOW THAT:

Pet-owners visit the doctor less often than those who do not own pets.
Pet-owners are said to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-pet-owners .
Pets reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness especially among single owners . Walking with a dog or sharing space with a dog, fills the pet-owner with a sense of security.
Children who own pets are known to have positive self-esteem and better cognitive development. They tend to have an enhanced all-round development .
Companionship of pets helps one deal better with some serious illness or death in the family.

IF YOU WANT TO ADOPT A PET

Adopt from CUPA and join the Whitefield Dog Lovers Group on FB
Especially avoid breeders unless you can be sure how they are treating their animals. If you heard the horror stories, you wont be able to sleep. When we buy from breeders we create the demand that then creates the monster of suppliers that are unscrupulous.

LEARN ABOUT EMPATHY:

All responsible citizens of the world are those with Empathy. Teach this to everyone you encounter and especially children you see being cruel to any animal. Take your kids to Gerry Martin farm locally so they can interact with animals.
When stray dogs roam the streets, begging for food, and most people just pass them by, not feeding them, not giving them water, not showing any kind of love for an animal that would have done anything for them had the situation been reversed, one questions the priorities of that society.