Street dogs are a part of our cities as much as we are. We must understand the reasons for their existence. First, street dogs are scavengers and they live on garbage created by humans. Second, they are also the pets of the poor — the hawker, the street and slum dweller, the security guard... Finally, some of these dogs are abandoned pets.
Doggone it!
For many years municipal corporations used to kill street dogs, thinking it would bring down their population and rabies deaths. But that did not help. Did you know that it is now illegal to kill street dogs? It has been found that sterilisation is a more effective way of controlling their population. This is more humane and scientific and brings down rabies deaths.
Animal welfare NGOs help in vaccinating street dogs against rabies. There are scores of instances where street dogs have helped us. A street dog named Rocky, belonging to a housing society in Mumbai, chased away a leopard and instantly became a local hero! There is also the instance of the three street dogs in Kolkata protecting a new born baby that had been abandoned, or the street dogs in a Mumbai neighbourhood that foiled an early morning robbery.
What you can do
> Know the dogs in your neighbourhood.
> Work with the local animal welfare organisation and get them vaccinated and treated if they are hurt/injured.
> Report to the SPCA if you see anyone ill-treating dogs.
> Adopt a street dog from a local shelter/NGO.
Why do dogs bite?
>You tease or hurt him.
>He is ill or in pain.
>He thinks you are attacking him/his owner.
>You touch him while he is eating or sleeping.
>He is fighting with another dog and you get in between.
>A stranger touches him.
>A female dog may bite if she feels that her pups are threatened.
MYTH: All street dogs are diseased, rabid or bite.
REALITY: Dogs do not bite unless provoked.
