Stray Dogs as Pets? Done. Much Before It Was A Clapback

India Today

15 hours ago

"Take them home": This has become the favourite clapback to anyone questioning the Supreme Court directive to remove all of Delhi's stray dogs permanently in the wake of rising dog attack incidents. I did this seven years back. I wish it had been a choice made purely out of love. But when you are 24, barely into your second job and making just enough to survive, adopting an animal is not the most practical option. I was forced into it, else Brownie would have just been a grim memory of a dog I once loved but had not saved from the sticks, stones and apathy on the streets.advertisementCut to 2018: Out of nowhere, a skinny -- skeleton showing under a thin layer of skin, frail and visibly sick dog made its way into my housing society in East Delhi. Now more than an animal lover (yes, I eat non-vegetarian food and I can love a goat and still enjoy a steak), I always had empathy for voiceless and vulnerable LIVING beings - be it dogs, cats, cows or humans. So, I placed a bowl of water before the dog, and started feeding him. Now, before anyone starts with "Oh, that's the problem, another street dog being fed and not shooed away", ruko zara, sabar karo -- a dog that weak could not even wag its tail, let alone bite and attack. A couple of days passed. I had so far been gleefully ignoring raised brows of neighbourhood uncles and 'non-dog lovers'. But soon, I started noticing his water bowl turned upside down. He was trying to move away from his corner despite his frail condition. A week passed, I tried managing his medicines and food in different corners. What changed our little arrangement was when I noticed people asking security guards to shoo him away with sticks. Some said he was too dirty to remain on the premises. I understood he would not be safe for long. I had to do something.I did not want him to become the dog I loved. I made him the dog that lived, to be loved. Brownie and I are family now. Yes, adopting him was tough as I stay alone and work a job with no fixed timing. But not tougher than watching him die at the hands of apathy.
I took him home long before the boisterous calls for dog lovers to be penalised filled the air. This wasn't my first time adopting an Indie. Back in Kolkata, I adopted two. My first one, Alex, was adopted after an entire litter was run over by cars and I almost emotionally blackmailed my family into adopting him. My second one, Kalu (named after his black coat which turned brown after one bath, much like empathy washing away prejudice) was adopted because he was abandoned by the family who first wanted him but could not sustain taking care of him. Long story short -- I took them home, because I had no option. NGOs don't usually take in healthy dogs as they are packed, government shelters have questionable standards and society can be cruel. But, this isn't about me, Brownie, Alex or Kalu. This is about Indies, who might soon be a rare sight on the streets of Delhi-NCR.PETTY PEDIGREE PETULANCEadvertisementNow that I have blown my own trumpet as a messiah for strays, as if to say others should follow suit and start taking in at least three strays (you should if you can), let's be real. Are self-proclaimed dog lovers also prejudiced? A surface-level view would say a resounding yes. There are scores that feed strays, post reels on social media cuddling Indie puppies, but at home? They want their Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Shih Tzus, and so on. I have been often asked why I adopted strays when I can afford "expensive breeds". As much as it baffles me to think of using dogs as a crutch to climb the social ladder, it makes me want to elaborate on the "surface-level view" I mentioned earlier. How can you be a dog lover when you only love branded and exquisite breeds? That makes you a connoisseur sir/madam not a lover -- because, love is blind. Duh!advertisementI don't know if you want your dogs to crack IITs or win Olympic medals, but let me debunk a few theories here on the "skillset" of different dogs. I have been around goofy goldens, playful Pit Bulls, lazy Labs and sassy Shih Tzus as much as I have been with irresistible Indies. At home, your dog is just a companion, and they don't need to be smart, fearful and abacus experts. Claims that Indies are unclean and untrainable could not be further from the truth. I took Brownie in when he was already over a year old, ripe with the wilderness of the streets. And as a person who could hardly follow discipline herself, I was definitely not reading up on training my pet. But here's what might just change your impression about these desis -- they adapt and how! Freshly off the streets, Brownie had a week's difficulty adjusting to domesticity. Still, never peed and pooped inside the house, patiently waited for his walks and caused far less damage to my belongings than what I have seen in other breeds. Fast forward to seven years later in 2025, he stays alone in his room when I am gone. His toys keep him company and he looks forward to his walks before I leave and after I am back. He is one of the most well-trained dogs I have seen. Intelligent to pick up on common words, and alert as if he were a part of the K9 squad. I had the same experience with my other two dogs, even though they turned into a bit of pampered snowflakes thanks to my parents who unleashed their doting sides on them instead of me. So if your dog is being aggressive, stubborn or irritated -- the joke is most likely on you. A dog is a dog, so please get the Indies inside your homes and strip them off the "stray" tag.advertisementLOVE Vs LOGISTICSAlright, enough with the humour now, time to call a spade a spade. A real question: Is India pet-friendly enough to lecture everyone to start adopting? My earnest opinion is NO.PROBLEM 1. Finding Houses: I have struggled finding houses because I have a pet. And when I drop the 'Indie' bomb, the landlords vanish like Macbeth's witches fading through fog and filthy air. I have finally found solace after renting a floor at my vet's house. The stigma against pets and Indies is real. Before we call people to walk the talk, we should know reality hits hard.advertisementPROBLEM 2. Transportation: Let me start with short distances. Dedicated pet taxies are at least five times more expensive than regular cabs and out of reach for most. And regular cabs shy away at the first mention of carrying pets, forget about Indies. But cab drivers are not at fault here, it's the passengers who are going to give them bad ratings on finding a single strand of dog hair in the next ride. They don't want to risk it. I had a harrowing experience every time I had to move with Brownie and a pet cab was not available and regular cabs would say no. So unless you have a personal car, it's quite the struggle.PROBLEM 3. Long-distance travel: It's been two years since I have been home in Kolkata since I don't want to keep Brownie in a shelter, I will explain why in the next point. Flights are expensive for pets and personally after reading about pets dying due to negligence, that option is out for me. And, Trains, phew... if you manage to board a train with your pet sans anxiety till the last step, please break a coconut and pray even if you are a non-believer. First of all, you need to book tickets for first class. That too two months in advance. Then you have to ensure that it's not only first class, but also a two-berth first class coupe which is limited in number and not the four-berth ones unless you have four people to accompany you. Then when you reserve first class, you have to rush to the railway office a couple of days prior to your journey with a letter, ID card and vaccination proof of your pet and drop it in a box requesting two-berth coupe. If you are lucky, you have a wonderful journey. If not, your coupes are gone and now it's the fault in your stars. In short, travelling is a hassle if you are not driving.PROBLEM 4. Lack of good shelters: Most of these shelters glow on social media, but they are not even close to gold standard. They will run happy-client testimonials on their websites but the reality is not same. The fancy ones might not even be entertaining Indies. I tried quite a few and gave up. I once kept Brownie in decent shelter and left for home. Returned to see my pet sick with Tick Fever. For next one month, it was all about treatment and daily drips. My friends who also were lured into such shelters are now roaming around with their dogs thanks to pet-friendly AirBNBs. Meanwhile, I am planning to learn driving just because I have a pet.PET LOVER'S PLEAUltimately, when I do the cost-benefit analysis of having a pet, time and again I come to the conclusion, it's worth it. It's worth the pain, the hassle and the protests. While dog lovers and feeders are responsible for ensuring that their actions don't harm others, it is equally the job of the civic bodies to control the population of strays and stop it from becoming a MENACE.Yes, if most people adopted strays, the "crisis" would not be. But, are most people ready to have pets? The idea is not to just lift them off the streets but to give them a chance at life. Many forcible adoptions end up in pets being tied in corners, ignored, starved and abused. And that is not the aim. Such dogs when abandoned are prone to biting and attacks. What we need is awareness around the issue.What's making matters worse is the friction between dog lovers and dog haters -- even though I find the word harsh. Empathy is the bridge. Not just for dogs but for children who are bitten, elders who are attacked. Both groups will have to look each other in the eye, sit down and come to an understanding. Feeders must understand all the world's not a stage. They should feed at dedicated spots. Dogs are territorial, it's not advisable to go near them when they are eating. Those, not very fond of dogs must understand that starving dogs or relocating them is inviting a bigger problem. That will only turn them aggressive. Don't forget what being hangry (anger from hunger for the uninitiated) makes you feel. Relocating them will just take the problem to another area - not a solution.Civic authorities must be held accountable. Why did the problem snowball into a crisis so massive that Delhi-NCR now has to be wiped off the streets? Why were they not able to sterilise and vaccinate dogs before? And are they ready to safely and humanely implement the top court's order in eight weeks without shelters and a handful of sterilisation zones? How do we know that the dogs are safe? The Supreme Court has rightfully taken up the issue in the interest of public safety, but the ground reality compels questions to be asked. And, in a society as pluralistic and dynamic as India, questions must be heard to be answered and not shot down.You might not love Indies, and you don't need to. But don't stop yourself from sparing a thought for them. Once they are gone, will you be able to remember them as just rabies spreaders? I don't think so. You will miss them as your chai tapris, around your office premises and during late nights when they are the only ones keeping a watchful eye.This isn't a protest or a clapback piece. This is just an appeal for acceptance and empathy and no, not because of the recent headlines. I have always cared for animals. Partly from empathy, partly from growing up with animals and kind people, and partly because it still makes me wonder: What if hell is real and the unkind are deep-fried in a giant kadai? Chew on that.- EndsMust Watch