UNIT 17: YOUR THESIS

SUBMISSION DATE: 5/8/2017 SaiPrasanna Iyengar Bangalore India

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My life is complete. There are pleasant and unpleasant days. There are tiring and energizing days.

There is excitement & anxiety on some days.... Once in a while I used to lose my cool & finally surrender to their abundant love!

Life has come a full circle indeed, not because of their presence alone...because they subtly differentiated the meaningful elements from the ones beyond my circle of influence.

What I am in this form, I owe to them. Thank you KARMA, for EVERYTHING.

TABLE OF CONTENT Synopsis of thesis Who we are (CAREWEL – Canine Rehabilitation & Welfare Trust) History of Mongrels (Community Dogs) Community Dog categories Life landscape of a Community Dog o Barking patterns o Behavior, Communication & Emotions o Eating patterns o Type of food recommended o Food type to be avoided o Sleeping patterns o Common health issues & ways to address it o Common community dog issues people report & suggested resolutions

The above sections supplemented with: Body language of individual dogs, alone and in a group The way each dog relates to each of the other dogs Signals between the dogs in the group, such as calming signals, posturing displays, anxiety, aggression, splitting up, playful behavior, avoidance behavior Carer Response- both while they are within the group and when returning to the carers Befriending a Mixed breed / community dog

Statistics Stray situation in India Social & Moral responsibility

Synopsis of thesis This thesis revolves around my observation of the last 18 years on the life of stray and community dogs (Living, eating, sleeping, behavioral, socializing & signaling patterns) with various animal & humans groups concluded by the current situation of strays in India, my project on it with the intent to humbly contribute constructively to this cause & animal laws in India that every India citizen needs to be aware of.

The statistics presented in this thesis is based on a sample size of 200 dogs we interact with currently (not withstanding our pleasant exposure to over 700 + of them). While the stats may not be accurate to the dot & T, it may be viewed as an illustrative guidance for those who’d like to gain insight into the life of strays. The statistics is not meant to add up to a 100% and needs to be viewed for guidance on behavioral and emotional ratios within each community group.

I’d like to start with introducing ourselves. WHO WE ARE - THE BIRTH OF “CAREWEL” – Canine Rehabilitation & Welfare Trust

CAREWEL (Founded In the year 2006) has been involved with the rescue, welfare and adoption of stray dogs in Bangalore, Karnataka, India- since 1999 and working in tandem with other well established NGO’s (Non-government organization)

CAREWEL has had over 700 stray puppies rescued, looked after and placed in adoptive homes. The organization takes care of about 200

Stray dogs in the area feeding and tending, with the help of 72% of the earnings of a family member and generosity of kind hearted spirits. The strays have been neutered/ spayed, and have been vaccinated against rabies. THE VACCINATION PROCESS IS REPEATED ANNUALLY.

In addition to the above, “CAREWEL” also believes in providing a new lease of life to ‘under privileged’ children by funding their education, study materials, schooling requirements and free tutorials. There are 10 children registered in this program by far. In the year 2006, “CAREWEL” was founded by Mrs Saroj Iyengar & Mr Muralidharan Iyengar along with other TRUSTEES in order to serve the strays’ cause better. The operations is run from their Home currently by Mrs Saroj Iyengar & Ms SaiPrasanna Iyengar. Some of the continuously driven outcomes by CAREWEL include: o 1999 – 2017 – Animals tended to - 450+ o Rescue puppies, take care of them and place them in adoption by conducting ‘adoption programs and issuing advertisements – 50+ fostered, 50+ boarded, 25 domestic animals homed at their premises, 150+canines found loving homes through adoption drives o Arrange for periodic vaccination of strays against rabies and distemper – 200+ vaccinations till date o Arrange of ABC (Animal Birth Control) programs - 250+ ABC surgeries till date o Treat strays for illness and disease – 300+ canines treated till date o 150+ canines fed everyday – Ongoing activity since 1999 o Undertaken burial of 170+ strays over the last decade owing to lack of timely o Increase Animal, environmental and moral awareness among public

All the aforementioned activities have been brought under the umbrella of “CAREWEL” TRUST.

A glimpse at Carewel’s family – 1999 – 2017

History of Mongrels A mongrel or mixed-breed dog, is a dog that does not belong to one recognized breed and is not the result of intentional breeding. Estimates place their numbers at 150 million animals worldwide. Although the term "mixed-breed dog" is preferred by some, many mongrels have no known purebred ancestors. Furthermore, crossbreed dogs, while literally a mix of breeds, differ from mongrels in being intentionally bred. Although mongrels have at times been considered somehow lesser than intentionally bred dogs, they tend to be less susceptible to genetic health problems associated with dog breeding, and have enthusiasts and defenders who prefer them to intentionally bred dogs.

Although mongrels exhibit great variation, generations of uncontrolled breeding and environmental pressures may tend to shape them toward certain general average body types and characteristics known as landraces, some of which may be developed by people into new breeds such as the Alaskan husky.

At other times, the word "mongrel" has been applied to informally purpose-bred dogs such as curs which were created at least in part from mongrels, especially if the breed is not officially recognized.

** In this Thesis, mongrels will be referred to as “community dogs” for easier association with stray dogs who live in streets among communities. There are some pure bred strays who are not looked after by any community & this thesis is applicable to both categories.

Community Dogs can be divided roughly into two types  Mixes that show characteristics of two or more breeds. A mix might have some purebred ancestors, or might come from a long line of mixed-breeds. These dogs are usually identified by the breed they most resemble, such as a "Lab mix" or "Collie-Shepherd", even if their ancestry is unknown.  The generic pariah dog, or feral Canis lupus familiaris, where non-selective breeding has occurred over many generations. The term originally referred to the wild dogs of India, but now refers to dogs belonging to or descended from a population of wild or feral dogs. The Canaan Dog is an example of a recognized breed with pariah ancestry. Pariah dogs tend to be yellow to light brown and of medium height and weight. This may represent the appearance of the modern dog's ancestor. DNA analysis has shown pariah dogs to have a more ancient gene pool than modern

Until the early 1980s, mixed-breed dogs were usually excluded from obedience and other dog sport competitions. However, starting with the American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry (AMBOR) and the Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America (MBDCA), which created obedience venues in which mixed-breed dogs could compete, more opportunities have opened up for all dogs in all dog sports. Most dog agility and flyball organizations have always allowed mixed-breed dogs to compete. Today, mixed-breeds have proved their worth in many performance sports.

Life landscape of a community Dog

Barking patterns

% of community dogs % of time spent

INSECURITY TOWARDS DOMESTIC PETS 20% 5% P L A Y F U L 50% 60% G R E E T I N G 50% 25% EXCITEMENT 50% 30% TERRITORIAL BARK 30% 50% INTRUDER ALERT 50% 20% CHASING DOWN VEHICLES 20% 60%

As you can see from the graph above, community dogs are not aggressive at all times and most importantly, until provoked or in self-defense. There is a large misconception about unfounded aggression in strays. At most times, they are playful and occupied in minding their own business. Like domestic pets / any other breeds we know, their lifestyle is no different. While a domestic pet would look for distractions and ways to keep themselves occupied within the bouondaries of a wall, community dogs find similar ways on the street. Just like domestic dogs, they like their space, respect and love. Since the street is their home, they are fiercely independent and strong with survival. They have an amazing road & safety sense. They carry a strong sense of belonging to the streets they live in and will go to any extent to protect humans living in it. The ones who are closer to humans take the liberty to walk in and out of their (independent) houses or apartments, greet them and even accompany them during short walks. They are sensitive about the humans domestic pets and provide an element of protection as well. Some times there is a bit of tension in the air owing to possessiveness and jealousy and an easy way of harmonzing the situation is to treat them equally in each others presence so nother of them feel superior.

They have their ways of greeting “cautiously”. One must not mix it up with suspicison. Always look for signs on the tail, ears and eyes. The reason for this caution is based on their variety of good, bad and ugly experiences on the street, unfortunately. Community dogs are territorial. It is their way to protect their space. While 99% of the time they are animal-territorial, there is a 1% chance they are particular about their space with some humans too. Like rag pickers or bikers who tease them often or a particular person who may have harmed them in the past.

Before reacting or blaming the dog, it is important to investigate the cause and create harmony between the person who is complaining and the dog. Remember, calling the local municipality office is the easiest way out which will be concluded with a van arrving, picking the dogs up and putting them to sleep. That approach is short sighted, insensitive and unfair since legally & morally the streets belong to community dogs as much as they belong to humans. Streeties chase vehicles out of sheer anxiety of a large moving object. Their intention is not to harm the human on or in it. When being chased, don’t run or rush. Slow down, talk to the dog gently and keep moving. With time, if you’re a regular passerby through the street, they will stop chasing you once they gain familiarity to the scent. Intruder alert among community dogs is an extremely common thing. They could raise an alarm of a human, animal, bird, vehicle or any other object that could be viewed as an intrusion. The best way to manage the situation is by calling their name (if you don’t know their name, you may address them with a name you’re comfortable with IN A GENTLE TONE since human intonation is a canines perception of expression) and creating a distraction with some goodies.

Dogs – ANY DOG (regardless of the origin or breed) are extremely intelligent beings. In my experience, they are like mirrors. You get what you give them. Especially with community dogs, they are extremely street-smart and will sense the good vs bad vibe in no time.

Behavior, Communication & Emotions 85% 90% 80% 80% 80% 70% 70% 60% 60% 60% 50% 50% 50% 40% 30% 30% 25% 30% 30% 20% 20% 20% 20% 15% 20% 10% 5% 10% 0%

Community dogs are as active, playful, energetic, emotional & intelligent as any other pedigree. While all pedigrees were bred for specific reasons, community dogs, being mixed breeds, demonstrate certain pedigree traits along with street survival traits. Their physical attributes are key drivers in establishing ancestral lineage, which may help to ascertain behaviors. As an example, some of our community dogs show herding and protective traits of a German shepherd. Some, based on their physical attributes show a mix of “Mudol” Or “Rajapalyam Kombai” – A racing breed, bred down south in India.

While viewing the above chart, you will observe that majority of behavior patterns tilt toward being alert, fearful or dominating. (Domination needs to be viewed contextually in terms of street survival in this case). Among other behavior patterns, these 3 stand out purely based on their survival instinct. It is indeed a sad truth that they go through a verity of experience on the street, hence considering that, it is natural for them to be alert at all times.

Their behavior differs in isolation and when in a group. The more confident and stronger ones come across as extroverts and will demonstrate extrovert behavioral traits while in a group and the more timid and shy ones will watch or wait toward the end of the group. The shy and timid ones do not come forward easily to petting, feeding or playing regardless of comfortable human proximity.

An interesting observation I have made over the years is the give up-give in-love-hate-support-force relationship between all dog groups in a community & I guess the process of coexistence among them goes through an evolving cycle through these stages. Every community dog in my view can be divided into 3 categories. Introverts, extroverts, Neutral. The extroverts needless to say are vocal about all emotions. They communicate with human groups. Participate actively and can be seen in every event, most of the time. The introverts shy away from attention. What’s interesting to note with the introvert group is, they aren’t distanced from the extrovert group. Sometimes they tag along to participate in fights. While they may not go to the extent of getting deeply involved, they do accompany and watch from a distance as if they were signaling that “you have my support”. I have often wondered if this stemmed from a need for them to please or they scrummed to pressure. Overall, they like to be left alone. The neutral ones are another interesting lot. They trust from a distance. They like a lot of space and like to be dealt with a lot of trust. Patience and time is key in developing a relationship with this group. The neutral ones have given us quite a bit of chase over the years when they needed spaying / neutering or any medical attention.

Here are some key pointers to identify introvert, extrovert & neutral groups among community dogs Introvert Community Dog Extrovert Community Dog Neutral Avoids conflicts The one to initiate territorial barks NO play, no attachment but feeling and fights protected, won’t leave the area

The one to be bullied most of The one protecting the dog group They can be spotted in isolated groups the time Uneasy effort to spot them First one in line during feeding or Hard catch, won’t come close for feed or playing time medication Won’t follow you on the Follows you on the street Always defensive, demonstrate trust street in a friendly manner issues Shy to petting or playing First one to start chasing vehicles Rarely wag their tail but do not show aggression either Ears flipped backwards, Great recall. Comes by soon when Turns their head away while being called rolling eyes, lies on their belly called or addressed indicating submission during a fight In a group, always prefers a Direct eye contact, cuddling, Don’t start or participate in a fight. If spot that isn’t in straight line petting, easy with belly rubs attacked, their own groups do not come of sight to human eye / avoids to the rescue eye contact

Eating Pattern Type of food recommended Cerelac Non for Sweet puppies bread

Boiled Sugarless Meat biscuits

Dry or Home wet Dog cooked Milk or food / rice and non sweet Chew egg yoghurt sticks

Dogs like to eat junk and they scavenge. Be it any dog. One needs to be mindful of not mixing emotions with this trait. What and how we feed has nothing to do with why they scavenge. Our domestic pets, sometimes during a walk end up picking up some trash and throw it away after repeated persuasion. What can be controlled is the type of food community dogs are fed and what happens outside of the feeding time is really not in human control. What is critical though is to protect them from fatal diseases that may arise due to trash binging through annual vaccinations and periodic de worming.

Food Type to be avoided Sleeping Pattern

Dogs are light sleepers barring exceptions of old age and health. They could be snoring one moment and the next they could be on their feet leaping and hopping towards something. It is important for one to know, similar to humans, dogs shouldn’t be woken up from their sleep. They tend to get irritated or cranky. The sleeping pattern graph above may be tied into their personality types as well. Over the years I have observed, there is a strong connection between the two.

Common Health Issues and ways to address it

Insect bites Vomiting

Ticks and Fleas Diarrhea

Repeated eye infections Fight or abuse injuries

Skin issues (All types) Distemper

Old age muscle or joint Tick Fever problems

Fever and Cold Rabies Acidity or indigestion

Fundamental Preventive Measures First aid medications to keep handy Annual 7in1 Vaccination Vomiting & Acidity Rantac or Panto D for Acidicty / Emmicet for Vomiting 6 Monthly Deworming External Injuries Betadine / Nebasulf Spraying tick solutions / skin solutions Ticks and Fleas Bolfo (deMag for Maggots) Avoid Non canine food / add affordable protein in Ear infections Salicylic Acid ear cleanser or daily diet Spectrazol rubbed over cotton Keep water available at all times Fever & Cold Crocin syrup/ Sporidex Build a designated area for them to rest Dehydration Normetrogyl / lot of water Spray generous amount of tick powders on their Ring worms / other Spectrazol / KisKin beds. If possible, bath once in 45 days. skin infections

Additionally, It is extremely critical to understand health issues or risks may emerge through each stage of a canine’s or any animal’s life for that matter. In order to provide a holistic view, I have created a diagram, depicting characteristics, probable hazards, health issues & illness / signs through four stages of a dog’s life based on my past and present experience of the 7 at home who range between 6 months – 14 years.

Common community dog issues people report & suggested resolutions

Jumping over walls during Place picking outside street domestic female canine in shop outlets heat Jumping over walls to mud- Hunting down Hens dig & sleep

Interim territorial agression Chasing cats & birds towards domesic pets during walk

Howling at night Noisy meal times

Noisy Dog fights (Among Noisy mating season times groups or territorial) Chasing down vehicles

Dogs will be Dogs! Recall the time your puppy chewed your shoe lace or socks! Recall how that favorite furniture was turned into something unrecognizable within days of purchasing it! All dogs are the same. Community dogs have fun on the street while domestic pets at home. Among other, common growing up behaviors, the ones listed in the graph above are more pertinent to strays because the street is their home. In my experience, most of the time, calming signals or calling out their names help. If neighbors complain about their garden being ruined, help them find a solution by increasing the size of the fence or creating a designated sleeping area outside of their house. What is important is creating awareness. The community needs to know that they belong to the street as much as humans do. To that extent, if laws need to be quoted, do it. Fighting, arguing or shouting won’t help the dog. This game is all about patience and wisdom. It is a relentless effort to continue educating people about community dog management. From times that our neighbors would scream, show up at our door step to complain because of these issues, we have now reached a phase where among 80 houses on the street, about 30 of them feed community dogs! Few of them feed left over vegetables to cattle & that in my view is a paradigm shift from hating to subtly participating where possible. That compassion majority is good enough! It did not happen overnight. It took a lot of leading by example, creating awareness, citing real time examples then and there for people to understand that community dogs were not a nuisance , they belonged here and it was everyone’s moral responsibility to provide food and shelter within their capacity.

Apartments are unfortunately, hotspots for stray feeding or pet spats if I may. It will be good for community dog carers and apartment based pet parents to know few fundamental animal laws as outlined below –

1. No RWA can legally introduce any sort of ban on keeping of pet dogs by residents. 2. RWAs cannot insist that only small size dogs are acceptable and larger breeds are not. 3. Dog barking cannot be cited as a valid or compelling reason for introducing any ban. 4. Residents have the legal and fundamental right to choose the life that they wish to live, which includes such facets as living with or without companion animals and no ban can be put on the same. 5. Unless the pet owning residents are not violating any municipal laws, no objection can be laid down. 6. With respect to use of elevators / lifts: There are no court rulings that disallow pets from using the elevators, especially in multi-story residential apartments and hence no charges can be imposed on residents who own pets. 7. RWAs have to ensure that no restriction is imposed – neither a ban nor any special charges – for the use of lifts by pets. 8. With respect to use of Parks / Gardens by pets RWAs cannot ban pets from gardens or parks .In case the park / garden is a common area which residents also use, a particular time may be fixed when pets can be walked in the park / garden without any inconvenience to other residents. 9. With respect to use of leashes or muzzles Pet owners can be requested to walk their pets on leash especially when walking them in common areas. The use of muzzles cannot be insisted upon the pet owners. 10. With respect to defecation of pets in community premises Pet owners can be requested to clean up after their pets in case the pets ease themselves in community premises. No rule / regulation / by – laws / special charges / fines can be imposed for the mandatory cleaning of the same. 11. RWAs may experiment with the creation of several pet defecation areas within the community premises and pet owners can be requested to train their pets to use the same. No special charges / fines can be imposed on any pet owner, as there is no mandate in the law for the same. o With respect to intimidation If any association succeeds in intimidating a pet owner to “give up” or “abandon” their pet, it will actually have abetted violation of law.

Following are the key points in the circular with regards to the treatment of street dogs:

No street dog can be beaten or driven away or killed from the neighborhood. o Animal birth control measures and vaccinations may be undertaken but the dogs will have to be released back into the same locality or territory after sterilization and immunity The same will be done as dogs are territorial in nature. o They tend to fight off other dogs and keep them from entering into their territories hence stabilizing the dog population within each locality. o There is no law that prohibits the feeding of street animals Animal cruelty is an offense under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Sections 428 / 429 of the Indian Penal Code. o The same is punishable with imprisonment and fine. o Attempts to interfere with or harass people who choose to tend to and feed community dogs, may lead to a grave offense of criminal intimidation. o Any aggression or hostility that the dogs may be subjected to, will only render them aggressive or hostile towards the humans.

Beyond all this, there are some people who just won’t budge. For those cases, simply distance the dog from that area by feeding somewhere else and creating a designated spot in a different place within the vicinity. Last and definitely not the least, gain as much insight as possible into their lives so you’re able to intelligently counter resistance and rejection among people who don’t like dogs BUT do not stop the lovely work you’re doing!

Befriending a community dog

Approach the dog in a friendly manner. Your posture should not be overarching. Movements should be neither slow nor swift. Don’t look too much in the eye. Maintain a neutral tone. Do not approach if you’re nervous. They read minds extremely well. Carry treats, Stretch your arm with treats at a distance. Observe body language and understand which group they belong to. Position next steps appropriately. When the dog develops trust, continue this feeding cycle for couple of days. Ensure to take water along since now all streets have water bowls. The food and water will provide a sense of safety and assurance to the dog. After couple of days, when the dog approaches you, start petting. Do not follow the dog to pet or play. They will view it as interference or threat. Name the community dog. Call him / her by name and a sense of belonging will develop in no time. Couple of key aspects to keep in mind are – if you plan to catch the dog for treatment or neutering / spaying, remember there will be some loss of trust. One must ensure there is follow up on providing reassurance by accompanying the dog to the vet or visiting at the hospital so they know they are not being harmed and you have not abandoned them. Once they are back to the area, watch them get comfortable with the place & group. Intervene if needed. Do not leave them and assume things will be normal. Watch for a day or two. If the situation gets tense among the existing group and the dog who returned, make efforts to build a bond between them again. Do not relocate them in haste. They will all come around. They are survivors!

Statistics

Now that we have established the life landscape, behavior patterns, emotions, issues & solutions pertaining to a community dog, it is time to glimpse through a fact file. It is imperative to gain insight into the current stray situation in India to be aware of the cause, effects, our social & moral responsibility to able to contribute effectively to this population.

Globe: o Over 525 Million Dogs the in the world o 200 Million Strays across the globe

Stray Canine situation in India: o 30 Million Strays in India o One un-spayed female dog and her offspring can create 67,000 dogs o One un-spayed female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in seven years o Six to eight million strays enter the nation’s shelters every year o Three to four million cats and dogs are adopted from shelters each year o Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.

What is happening to the rest? They are littering because they are not spayed and the population is rapidly & worryingly increasing.

Stray Canine situation in Bangalore, Karnataka, India o 250,000 in Bangalore as of 2017 o As of 2007, A census conducted by the department of animal husbandry and BBMP found there were 3, 27,218 dogs in Bangalore. Of these, 1, 83,758 were strays and 1, 43,522 pets. o According to BBMP, over 7,000 animal birth control (ABC) surgeries are performed every month in the city. In 2011-12, 1 lakh dogs were treated in this programme, while 1.65 lakh were administered anti- rabies vaccination.

The fall out of this situation in Bangalore o Dog: human ratio of the city is actually 1:25. o The mass is overwhelmed, which is leading to unethical ways of containing (All over India) the rapidly growing numbers – Mass kills of strays, euthanasia & ABC programs to puppies who are as small as a month old. o Adoption drives are executed in a hasty manner. 30% of the adopted pets are returned to shelters or abandoned on the streets.

What will happen if we don’t ACT NOW?

**Numbers are illustrative for readers to gain insight into how strays in the city are growing exponentially** STATISTICS Avg age of starting first heat cycle in Female canines 6 - 8 months female canine reproduction cycle Twice a year Avg Littering ratio through 1 birth cycle 10 Avg littering ratio in 1 year 20 female canines targeted for surgery in 2 years (Starting Mid 2018) through project C5K 5,000 Potential canine population targeted for controlling through project C5K 100,000 What happens if this is not controlled?

Assuming 50% of the 100000 are female canines 2018 female canines 50,000 Avg Littering ratio through 1 birth cycle 10 Avg littering ratio in 1 year 20 Closing 2018 1,000,000 2019 female canines 50,000 Avg Littering ratio through 1 birth cycle 10 Avg littering ratio in 1 year 20 Closing 2018 500,000 Closing 2018 5,000,000

“I would leave working out the subsequent arithmetic to you!”

What does the above fact file lead us to?- The ABC programme must be implemented scientifically

Stray in India is Reality. This “Growing” reality is a cause for concern & the magnitude of this ‘Reality’ is estimated around 30 million! The impact of this ever growing population is a potential, rapid spread of the most dreaded disease ‘RABIES’ & retraction of our efforts to have a ‘Better Planet’ stemming from ‘Better Lives’.

Better Lives – IRRESPECTIVE.

Over 35,000 die every year in India due to RABIES, making it the highest RABIES deaths in the world. Tragically, children account for some 50% of these deaths, which the experts attribute to lack of ANNUAL CANINE ANTI- RABIES VACCINATION, inconsistent ABC (Animal Birth Control) programs across the country and awareness.

What’s worse – Tow lives wasted for something they didn’t create or could control!

The Govt of India recommends controlling the population of stray dogs through implementation of ANIMAL BIRTH CONTROL & ANTI RABIES PROGRAM. During the last couple of years NGO’s, individuals, families like ours & others in pockets have sterilized and vaccinated over 550,000 stray dogs in the country.

There are ABC / AR programs running all over the country. As you’re reading this, there are thousands of them striving to make a difference by contributing in their small ways. BUT THE BUCK DOESN’T STOP HERE.

The sheer magnitude of catching, sterilizing and releasing such a huge number of stray dogs has been a big challenge. While those drawn under the ‘ABC’ program do not contribute to the increasing population, they are contributing to RABIES due to lack of repeated, annual anti-rabies vaccination. Needless to say, the rest of them not covered under this program are neither sterilized not vaccinated.

Do we have to highlight what we’re headed for as a country?

How can you contribute to India’s ‘Help Stray’s Help US’ cause?

1. SUPPORT THE CAUSE – Contribute to the ANIMAL BIRTH CONTROL AND ANTI-RABIES VACCINATION program. Contribute in Kind to those being your arms and legs OR work with local NGO’s to facilitate an SBC program in your area.

2. DON’T HESITATE TO GET INVOLVED – The only difference is they are four-legged. They belong to our community. The animal welfare board of India mandates community animals to be as much as of an Indian citizen as any human being. Being compassionate doesn’t cost anything.

3. STOP ANIMAL ABUSE- A disturbed mind leads to disturbed surroundings. If you are allergic, don’t like dogs or fear them, that’s respected but do not harm them.

4. ONE-DOG-A-HOUSE – Yes, it is doable. Think how to make it happen. They do not have to be indoors. The beauty of community dogs is they can be adopted from a distance! Yes, sponsor their food, shelter, regular vaccinations and enroll them in an ABC program. 5. STOP THE GARBAGE! – Do not litter the surroundings to growing strays an opportunity to scavenge. When they scavenge for survival, there is competition. When there is competition, there is a fight. When there is a fight, there is noise and that is treated as nuisance value. Let’s focus on curbing the cause and the effect will remain monitored.

6. TAKE THE LIBERTY to stop people who indulge in littering. Yes, do not allow littering. Stop them. Participate. It in your own best interest.

7. UTILIZE THEM CONSTRUCTIVELY – ‘Mongrels’ are no different than ‘Pedigree’ breeds. They are as intelligent, friendly and trainable as other breeds. Let’s train them for the right causes. They are trainable, it is proved and certainly know and want to live in harmony among humans.

Let’s join hands to make feasible & smart allowances for stray to coexist with man FOR A PURPOSE.

‘This is OUR Problem’

Come forward, be a part of this ‘CAUSE’ – Because…

"What Matters in the END is a 'FULFILLED LIFE' and 'GRACIOUS EXIT'