The issue of stray dogs in India

Ever since I was little, there’s always been one thing that I haven’t been able to let go of. No matter how hard I tried and begged, my parents absolutely didn’t allow it. I’ve been longing it for nearly 17 years.. and still nothing has changed. “Mom, dad, can you please get me a dog?” That phrase must’ve been repeated hundreds of times (and still adds on to this day)! It’s upsetting because I feel like growing up with a dog would’ve been a magical experience… but if I think about it, technically I did grow up with a dog, and even raised TWO of them (sorta kinda)! Every single year since the day I was born, I go on an annual 6 week trip to India. India is where my grandmother lives, and she has had 3 dogs during my lifetime! One was the same age as me until she passed away at 14, and 2 have been recently adopted babies. They have held so much significance in my life, and I’ve spent so much time with them, that I've considered them my own.

But when I wander outside… I almost always spot a new dog from every corner. If you have been to India or seen it through the media, then you would know that every place you go, there are an abundant amount of dogs roaming around or laying in the streets. Referred to as stray dogs, there are at least 70 million of them (reported by Humane World for Animals) on India’s streets. Would I be willing to adopt one of these dogs? Well.. personally I’m not sure. People typically don’t adopt these dogs like they do for stray dogs in the United States. These dogs are just accepted to be on the streets, and it usually isn’t the social norm to try to foster/adopt one of them. Why? Well many people fear these dogs or view it as normal for them to be on the streets. In case you didn’t know, I’m not referring to dogs like golden retrievers, pugs, and the common types that people own. These dogs are a special breed, referred to as Indian Pariah Dogs, and they have a rich history of living on India’s streets (many generations have for hundreds, even thousands of years).. So I guess people are just used to leaving it that way. Needless to say, there are still so many people who do choose to adopt these dogs, but it isn’t as popularized as the United States.

One thing to note is that: These dog’s aren’t violent. They respectfully co-exist among humans. In fact, they don’t even acknowledge the humans around them at all. As long as you aren’t going out of your way to physically harm them, you shouldn’t fear being harmed by them (it’s also illegal to harm them).

However, there are some instances where they can be a threat. Through my annual experience of visiting India, I have never experienced any issues with these dogs, but there are definitely instances where mishap occurs. The Humane World for Animals claims that 70% of the world’s human cases of rabies (rabies is a common disease that many animals can carry) come directly from India. Even though India has a huge population, that’s still significantly high for a single country. This could only happen if these dogs are biting or coming into undesired contact with humans. This indicates a bit of risk while being surrounded by these stray dogs, and puts people’s life/health on the line. And not just humans.. but these dog’s are also at high risk as well if they are carrying such a disease! Since these dogs are stray, it’s difficult for them to get vaccinated, so they carry such diseases like rabies.

There are also many people who have no care for how they treat these stray dogs. As mentioned earlier, it is illegal to harm these stray dogs. However, many people do show aggression and violence towards them. If these dog’s cause them irritation, many people retaliate. Sometimes it’s justified, but other times it’s simply cruel. Many stray dogs are put at risk by motor vehicles.

Many stray dogs come onto the congested roads, and makes it very easy for drivers to run over them. Unfortunately, that’s how my grandmothers 2nd dog, at the age of 1, passed away. She was a house dog who was just playing outside, but just imagine the risk of stray dogs that are constantly living among the roads. There are so many people on the roads who truly don’t care,

Paw Spice mentions some other difficulties that they face in their lifetime such as hunger/malnutrition, harsh weather conditions, and not being able to receive medical assistance. These issues are quite apparent… Since stray dogs aren’t provided food like home dogs are, and so they have to fend for scraps on the streets or in the trash. And because they don’t have proper shelter, intense weather becomes a problem for them as well. Worst of all, if they are in need of medical assistance, people usually don’t notice and they aren’t given the support that a house dog would get.

Life for them is clearly difficult. They have a life expectancy of just around 4 years (Just Dog claims), as opposed to house dogs with 12-15, and live difficult lives.

The Indian legal system understands these issues to an extent, which is why the Supreme Court has mandated that authorities must re-locate stray dogs in Delhi to an animal shelter (reported by the Hindu). This new mandate is a monumental move for stray dogs in India, as they are slowly starting to gain more recognition for their inadequate lifestyle. Hopefully more mandates and laws are passed to help protect these animals for the sake of themself and human beings as well.

Some people think that we should just leave these dogs alone and let them be comfortable in the streets.. which sounds like a fair idea until understanding all the risks and harms involved in their lifestyle, it definitely sounds like a better idea for them to go to a pound and be cared for. They deserve the privileges that other types of dogs receive on a daily basis.

If you’re reading this, there’s a great chance you aren’t living in India. So what can you do to help?

While you’re across the globe, there is a limited amount of things you can do to help, but your contribution can still make a great impact. If you ever plan to visit India or reside there, this website provides more insights on helping these animals: https://www.vosd.in/how-to-help-stray-dogs-in-india/

As much as we all love dogs, let’s not forget the harsh conditions that many stray dogs in India have to live through each day. Hopefully this gave you a new perspective and inspired you to promote change for a topic that isn’t as widely discussed.

What was the most interesting insight you picked up from this newsletter? Please share it with me in the comments!

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