CHENNAI: As a little girl, Sanjana Reddy used to accompany her grandfather in feeding biscuits to hungry dogs near her home. Now this young lady takes care of more than 60 dogs in her vicinity with new ones being added every day. Just like her, there’s a silent army of men and women in various nooks and corner of our city who feeds and takes medical responsibility of our street dogs, staring down open hostility from other residents.
The Constitution and the legal machinery of our country offers full protection to both the feeders and the animals that are cared for. The revised AWBI guidelines of 2015 (refer awbi.org) clearly states that attempts to harass persons who choose to tend to and feed community dogs is tantamount to the very grave offence of criminal intimidation. Furthermore, various courts have upheld the right to street dog feeding, since the same reduces human — animal conflict and facilitates animal birth control (by making dog catching easier).
Management of man-made garbage dumps, which is the primary source of food for street dogs; “feeding” of stray dogs and finally “vaccination & sterilisation” of the same dogs are the only viable three-step method for man–animal cohabitation. The AWBI Guidelines furthermore states that no association or residents can interfere with the freedom of other residents in caring and attending to animals or object to feeding of the street dogs.
Preethika Rao who had faced innumerable hostile neighbours says patience and continuous educating of people are the only way to make them understand how feeding and taking care of community dogs actually reduces man-animal conflict. From facing severe hostility to now grudging acceptance and respect from her neighbours, she has strived successfully to teach people — starting with children — to be more kind and tolerant towards the strays.
Hostility of locals, due to irrational fear, is a common bane faced by most animal feeders’. Threats of physical harm to both the animals and the feeders are not uncommon. To avoid such situations certain precautions are suggested by experienced feeders who also stress on the civic responsibility of the animal lovers themselves.
Animal lovers need to be aware of their rights, and should also be able to reach out to an active network of animal welfare organization and activists HAWOs (Honorary animal welfare officers) and the police if necessary when harassed.
While one can approach local animal welfare organisations or animal activists, in the end, it is a fight one will have to fight on one’s own, for themselves and the animals they care for. Street animals, these children of a lesser God, are sentient beings with full right to live.
Vaccinate and sterilise the dogs
Antorleena Baidya, who has been feeding community dogs for nearly three years, says a responsible feeder besides feeding the dog takes full responsibility to vaccinate and sterilize the dogs of the area -a one-time exercise which prevents further increase in the dog population in the area. Preethika Rao and Sanjana Reddy concurs with this.
They have got all the dogs under their care vaccinated and sterilised. Measures such as these help in controlling the burgeoning dog population left unchecked by authorities in charge of sterilisation drive in cities as mandated by the law. During the recent canine distemper outbreak in the city with potentially fatal outcome for dogs, many streeties got a second chance at life thanks to these unsung heroes who had these dogs under their wings.