Stray Thoughts

You Don’t Have To Wear Capes To Be A Hero - Create More Homes For Stray Dogs - Give Them The Respect That They Deserve!

However tight I shut my eyes there will always be a stray dog somewhere in the world that’ll stop me being happy! - Jean Anouilh

Picture this:

It’s a beautiful summer morning, its early and still cool and grey, you’re out on a sidewalk enjoying a peaceful stroll all by yourself. It’s the best time to be out before the world around you is awake. From the corner of your eye you see a stray dog sniffing contentedly in the grass, finds a suitable place to pee. Birds chirp, a car passes slow and lazy. So far so good, while you glance up and down the street ever watchful. You have nearly completed your loop of the neighbourhood, making a turn for home and suddenly –off to the side, two blocks away –you hear it! A pack of strays barking, lunging with a terrifying ferocity that shocks you every time it happens!

Another day begins with frustration and tears!

The worst of it is that you’ll have to endure it again tomorrow or alternatively you can also decide to give up you morning walks!

However only you know too well what it is like to take your walks early in the morning or late night choosing the most secluded route you can!

There is perhaps no simple answer that explains this behaviour of the homeless quadrupeds. I can say for certain that it’s an incredibly common problem and perhaps there is some comfort in knowing that I am not alone in thinking this.

These canines have a variety of underlying reasons for their reactivity issue. When they are snarling and lunging at you they I am sure have something in common---they are truly and genuinely upset. They are in a situation they don’t know how to cope with!

Imagine being in a dark alley at night ; alone-hyper vigilant, aware of every sound and if you happen to see the menacing strangers approaching towards you chances are good that you’ll scream, run away or try to fight. Your heart would be pounding in your ears. Your palms would be sweaty .This would be a life and death situation - and the racing thought in your mind at that point in time would be “I am about to be attacked!”

For most reactive dogs the world is a scary place. They are genuinely alarmed by every unfamiliar sight or sound that they may encounter-or some very specific triggers. For instance, they may react only to scared women like me, frozen on the street with fear, or running children, or bearded men! It could be any trigger.

So the pack in which there are some dogs with reactive tendencies get triggered into action and, quite reasonably so from their perspective, assume that best defence is a good offence. If you are a dog a good offence looks like this: barking, lunging and snarling like a vicious wild animal, doing your very best to convince your adversary that you are much bigger and scarier to tangle with. Even if the thing you are afraid of is just a grocery bag blowing in the wind, the emotions underlying such displays of threat and intimidation are very real. These perceptions of the strays are a product of their past experiences – good, bad or indifferent - as well as their genetic makeup. The onset of this aggression can be traced to a rather dramatic negative experiences or a genetic predisposition to fearfulness and reactivity.

So with that in mind what can we do?

I genuinely believe that these dogs don’t just need sterilization and anti-rabies shots but much more! They need treatment!

You see my frustration is deeply rooted because I notice that these strays are leading a disrespectful life. Our policy makers do not seem to have a long term vision for these homeless canines. Their protection and wellbeing is limited to only sterilization, vaccinations and then dropping the poor creatures back to where they were rounded up from after performing the said procedure. So, once a waif always a waif. What happens if a poor dog approaches you for food or friendship and is subjected to stone pelting or other similar tactics to scare them away by a passerby who is, in turn, also afraid of them. Not everyone is dog friendly. Let’s agree on that one. People are genuinely scared of dog bites and the more you resist chances are that you will invite the poor creatures wrath. They are not going to say sorry I scared you. He will not give way and say Sir you can go.

The fear in most of us arises from the fact there is no way to identify street dogs. We cannot ask the poor traumatised dog “Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?” It seems even more fantastical to imagine that the dog tells us “I am his highness’ dog at Kew”.

So moving on, what hurts me most is that these poor strays other than being reactive, which may require help or treatment, even when trying to be friendly are yet subjected to cruelty by many who see them as threats are, as a final insult, fed leftover food from the kitchens of the neighbourhood which is mostly stale and not suitable for these poor homeless dogs.

I ask you to question yourselves that isn’t it time to have a well rounded and mature approach to the problems of strays plaguing the streets of our colonies? Why are we insisting on housing them in the streets or staircases of the houses of our residential areas? Are we waiting for them to turn rouges, a menace, a possible threat to the residents as biting canines who have tasted blood, are we not responsible for this also?! Why do we continue feeding them stale and largely unsuitable food and why are they being left to die disrespectfully with a good chance of being run over by a speeding vehicle? Is this our definition of ‘no cruelty to animals’ that we love them and yet we feed them food which is grossly unsuitable for them? Unfortunately they do not speak our language and since beggars can’t be choosers and when the pickings and slim and far between what choice do they have but to eat whatever is served!

Isn’t it time that we have proper dog shelters manned with trained volunteers and vets to provide them both psychological and pathological care. Many developed countries have eradicated the stray dog problems .You do not see them in such a state of destitution in these countries as we see them here in India. There are no strays roaming on the streets in these countries. They are being provided homes and a life of dignity that they rightfully deserve. As a civilized society where we love dogs - our friend and trusted companion - don’t you think we owe them at least a life of dignity? Why can’t we create more shelters and ensure that they are healthy and happy? And since we would need to avoid overcrowding of these shelter homes, the treated, healthy and recovered dogs can be put up for adoption for willing and desirous families.

Sterilization and anti-rabies vaccinations are all good in principle but not a long term solution. This is gently killing the species without any guilt of committing murder of the homeless.

In the end all I want to say is that expectation feeds frustration especially if you have a problem of noticing everything!!! And trust me I do and so should you.

Think about it.

In pursuit of happiness,

Ruchi Singh