Animal lovers protest SC’s stray dog removal order, demand co-existence and sterilisation over confinement; participants stressed that proper implementation of rules and early education for children on how to interact with strays could enable peaceful cohabitation.
Protesters gather at Joggers Park, Bandra, to oppose the Supreme Court directive on removing stray dogs
Animal rights groups, including Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) and PETA, staged a protest at Joggers Park in Bandra on Thursday, coinciding with the Supreme Court reserving its order on petitions challenging its August 11 directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets and confine them permanently in shelters.
Holding placards and chanting slogans like “Awara nahi, Hamare hai” and “Hum Kya Chahate… Azadi”, protestors demanded justice for strays and called for peaceful, harmonious co-existence between humans and street animals.
A stray dog seen at the protest site in Bandra. Pics/Ashish Raje
“Stray dogs have been part of our communities for decades. They attack only when they sense fear; otherwise, they spread love,” said Aakash Shukla, dog behaviourist and founder of Dog Mantra, who led the protest. Participants stressed that proper implementation of rules and early education for children on how to interact with strays could enable peaceful cohabitation.
“We’ve created guidelines for everyone, dog lovers, non-dog lovers, the government, and even children. If the authorities struggle to implement rules, experts like us are willing to help. Sterilisation is crucial to control the stray population, reduce rabies, and calm dogs,” said Sushank Tomar, CAP founder.
Key guidelines shared by animal lovers included
Common mistakes by dog lovers
>> Approaching dogs with excessive excitement
>> Overly touching or petting
>> Random or overfeeding
>> Allowing rough games like chasing or play biting
>> Feeding in mixed territories
>> Excessive talking around dogs
For non-dog lovers
>> Do not abuse, hurt, tease, or injure animals
>> Avoid conflict with those who feed dogs
>> If scared, do not run or make direct eye contact
>> Do not attempt to separate or relocate dogs
>> Avoid frightening children with misinfomation, as such fears can last a lifetime
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