We love debating- even stray dogs are not spared
NewsBharati 18-Aug-2025 13:54:09 PM
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“If what you’ve done over the past 5 years hasn’t worked for you, then change what you’re doing or the next 5 years will be the same”
I am a die hard dog lover
With incidents of stray dog attacks growing by the day, the government had been exploring multiple options to speed up the process of their sterilisation. Government laid down a minimum rate that each agency that does sterilisation gets as remuneration to speed up the process nationwide.
Just do the math and the figure will be stupidly high for 7 crore dogs. (7 crore multiplied by 2000).
Sterilisation does not stop dog bites or ‘Dog pack’ attacks in any case.
People are crying hoarse but coming with no solution. Some say, leave them into jungles for fresh air and happiness, send them to shelters which do not exist and so and so forth. Culling is out of question and of course not acceptable.
Specifically, CSR activities in India, as defined by the Companies Act, 2013, include eradicating poverty, promoting education and healthcare, ensuring environmental sustainability, and supporting national heritage and culture.
Create an NGO – Employment and dignity For Dogs- EDFOD- under PETA. Accounts can be audited regularly.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal liberation organization in the world, and PETA entities have more than 10.4 million members and supporters globally. PETA is funded almost exclusively by the contributions of individual donors. PETA India's total revenue was Rs 101,697,980- Around 10 Cr.
All dog lovers who give food to dogs on the road side spend money, time and energy. This emotion can be well utilised to pay for these dogs through EDFOD.
I am a die hard dog lover
I was bitten badly by a stray dog in Delhi a few years back. I was being dropped by a friend to East of Kailash where I was staying with my cousin. I got out of the car to help him reverse- and suddenly from nowhere a dog came and bit me on my calf. I started bleeding badly and since my cousin was a doctor he gave me a pain killer and bandaged my wound- it was 11 at night. In the morning while having tea, the house maid looked at my bandaged leg and asked ‘Aaap ko bhi kata usne?- mujhe bhee isne do baar kata- kya kutta pantee hai saab’. (He bit you too, He bit me twice before- what nonsense). Same day the usual drama of anti-rabies injection started. A shot costs Rs. 350 and for a course of five, I had to shell out Rs. 1750 spread over around a month- it was a weekly EMI for encountering a stray dog who I didn’t even know. I wish PETA or some rich animal lover would have paid that for me! No way- you get bitten you pay for it or die.
Data tabled in India's parliament showed more than 3.7 million cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies reported in 2024.
Data tabled in India's parliament showed more than 3.7 million cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies reported in 2024.
Honourable Supreme Court of India recently passed an order to remove all stray dogs from NCR region with a time line. Suddenly more dog lovers came on the streets and TV studios than stray dogs. Some with teary eyes tore into the anchor almost ready to bite his/her arm off. Every day some actors/influencers/bouncers/silencers/announcers as activists came and gave their logic of being humane and don’t cage ‘poor’ dogs who can’t speak for themselves – ‘bezubaan janwar’- ‘but can only bark’. You require a doctor Dolittle to decipher their pain. And so many Dolittle’s on TV channels but doing very little as such.
No anchor ever asked the dog activists, how many of them were ever chased, mauled (by a pack of poor dogs) or even badly bitten to get 20 stitches in a hospital- I am sure the number may be close to a zilch. For them ‘tera kutta, kutta- mera kutta Tomy’.
There are various estimates of numbers of stray dogs on the streets of NCR, from 6 lacks to a million. National level it is around 6.2 crores to 7 crores across India.
Sterilisation optionWith incidents of stray dog attacks growing by the day, the government had been exploring multiple options to speed up the process of their sterilisation. Government laid down a minimum rate that each agency that does sterilisation gets as remuneration to speed up the process nationwide.
Agencies usually get around Rs 800-1,500 for sterilising one dog. The amount is considered inadequate as the cost of surgeries, veterinary doctors' fees, feeding and housing a dog for at least three days is much more. An amount of at least Rs 1,800-2,200 should be paid per animal to cover expenses, animal rights campaigners have said.
Sterilisation does not stop dog bites or ‘Dog pack’ attacks in any case.
after hat you leave them to fend for themselves.
Murphy’s law fits in here like a tee- ‘Any problem can be made very complicated if there are enough number of discussions on it!’We just got entangled into a debating dilemma. The whole nation has forgotten unemployment, Trumps stumps and Israel Hamas war, Alaska summit, Putin and Trump, children getting killed in Gaza, genocide, food shortage or GDP or even ‘mehengai’ (price rise). Debate today is stray dogs on all the channels, articles on front page of newspapers, social media etc.- keep on debating.
Can’t we employ them and give them a ‘rozgaar’? yes, we can. These cross-breed dogs are very tough, do not require pampering. Not only tough- they are low maintenance- very agile. Also, great sense of listening and smelling.
They are just dogs and if lovable on roads, they are loveable anywhere.
Cost of maintaining a dog at home is around 2500 Rs a month including vaccination. Around 30,000 Rs a year. Very rarely people take pets for training- in India not even 10% people go to dog trainers. Therefore, not a cost for all pet parents.
One solution comes to mind
There are 6.3 crore MSMES and close to three lack factories in India. In addition, millions of storage godowns. Each of them requires some sort of security. All establishments require some security and these dogs can be a great source of security. A guard for 8-hour shift costs you at least Rs 15000/- a month. These dogs can augment the security system. Cut the overall cost and get an obedient honest guy – a dog- to protect you. They need not be German Shepards, any breed can bark seeing an intruder- early warning system. They do the same at home with their pet owners, just for Rs 2500/ per month. Dignity, shelter food and love all included. PETA should be happy. In fact, ask them to monitor this implementation.
Do not limit it to small enterprises only. Let large organisations too adopt these animals- dogs will be certainly better off than being kicked around on the roads.
Link it with CSR.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at contributing to societal well-being and sustainable development. These activities typically fall under categories like environmental responsibility, ethical responsibility, philanthropic responsibility, and economic responsibility.
The canvas is pretty broad and cost of maintaining a dog or several could be included in the CSR offset. This definitely falls under ethical responsibility and can be taken care of. The dog lovers and NGOs can create a corpus to be utilised for this purpose- let them feel happy by ‘giving to dogs.’ If you can donate to CRY or Pratham or any of the NGOs to help child rights, poverty alleviation, healthcare, education, environmental conservation, human rights, and disaster relief then why not for dogs?
Several NGOs across India are actively working to protect animal rights. These organizations engage in rescue, rehabilitation, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns to improve the lives of animals. Some prominent examples include People for Animals, Blue Cross of India, Wildlife Trust of India, RESQ Charitable Trust (Pune), and Animal Aid Unlimited.
“If you can’t change the status quo, make the status quo, change.”
Royce White
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal liberation organization in the world, and PETA entities have more than 10.4 million members and supporters globally. PETA is funded almost exclusively by the contributions of individual donors. PETA India's total revenue was Rs 101,697,980- Around 10 Cr.
All dog lovers who give food to dogs on the road side spend money, time and energy. This emotion can be well utilised to pay for these dogs through EDFOD.
“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
– Walter Bagehot
Virender Kapoor
A thinker, educationist and an inspirational guru. Kapoor is an Indian who wears many hats. An educationist of repute, he was the Director of a prestigious management Institute under the Symbiosis umbrella. He has emerged as a leading think tank in human behavior, motivation and success. As a celebrity author, his name appears with the likes of Thomas Friedman and Dale Carnegie. He has authored more than 30 books as of now which are on Amazon worldwide and several of his books are in the pipeline.