It is sad to hear about the plight of a 4 year old killed by stray dogs. Infact, this is the second such incident that has come to light in the past couple of months. Somewhere in mid January, a 9 year old girl was torn apart by stray dogs. While I do respect the sentiments of animal lovers and also agree that many times stray dogs are provoked by humans (in the form of teasing, stone pelting, kicking etc) I must also accept that this is an issue that requires serious thought. If not controlled soon, it might result in similar incidents in future too thus making it a fearful experience run into stray dogs. Although I have never been bitten yeat (I thank God for that), I must admit that I do feel lot of fear when stray dogs follow me for some time. The fear increases if I happen to be carrying food items with me at that time. Here are few things I've heard people say when confronted with dogs following us:
1. Keep walking in the same speed as before. I have been told as well as read somewhere that the faster you walk, the more u arouse the curiosity of the dogs and they are more likely to attack you. While I remember this whenever the stray dogs follow me, my own fear makes me walk faster involuntarily. Though it hasnt resulted in an attack yet, the dogs have also followed me faster when I walked faster with some barking loudly. It resulted in increased fear and tension.
2. I have also been told that it is not wise to look a dog into its eye. I mean when a dog is following you do not turn around and stare at it. It is said that they are more likely to attack you in those circumstances. This is also something I have found very difficult to follow as my natural instict is to turn around once in a while and see how far they are behind me.
3. Most importantly, it is told never to run when they follow you. Once you run they too will run and however fast you are they are highly likely to catch up with you.
I dont know how far the mentioned details are true, but I do hope it helps anyone who may have to run into stray dogs often.
Another point I would like to mention is that many times people grow a dog and also breed it and when it does give birth to puppies, they grow one themselves, give one or may be two to some of their relatives/friends and leave the remaining in the streets (I have seen some of my neighbors do this, probably they initially plan to grow more than one of the young ones but at some point change their minds and just leave them in the streets). The ones that survive go on to become stray dogs. Not only the dogs themselves suffer, they become a menace for the others also.
There is a man near my relative's place who feeds all the stray dogs and these dogs have bitten a few people (no news of anyone killed so far), but the man refuses to take any responsibility for the dogs he owns and when the muncipality tries to take these dogs away, he locks them up in his house and releases them once the dog actching tractor goes away. The dogs continue their mencace and the man also doesnt listen despite objections from the colony/society people. I am of the opinion that people should take responsibilities ofr their actions and cant do things which cause menace to others. While it is appreciated that someone wants to feed the animals and would like to care for them etc. they need to either take up full responsibility for these animals and keep them at their home or in their private property and cant leave them on streets causing trouble to others.
There is another person in our neighborhood who grows a doberman and that dog happened to leave its kennel one day and gained access to another neighbors house and they had some clothes hung in their back yard and this dog promptly chewed up most of them leaving them in tatters. Again the argument given by the master of the dog was why do you guys hang clothes outside when you know that someone grows a dog in your neighborhood!! I mean it is such an irresponsible statement. Just because one person has a flair for pets does not mean others should lose freedom in their own houses. Tomorrow these guys will say dont cook anything which lets out good aroma as it attracts the dog's attention!!!!
While care for animals is appreciated if the same animals threaten peaceful human existence, then those animals must be done away with, not necessariliy by killing them, thy can also be dropped off in an inaccessible place but surely streets are no place for them.
For those who want to argue as to what about those humans who are a menace to the society, when they are allowed to stay why not stray dogs etc., well, that is what law and order is for, it is up to the law department to take up these cases and either reform them or punish them. As far I saw in this message board even those who advocated out right killing of all stray dogs never said that every individual should do it, they were also mentioning that some authorized body like the muncipality do it.
Stray dogs are not only a source of danger but also a source of disease as no one knows what kind of germs they carry with them and how harmful they can be. Now, I request people not to counter question this statement asking what about human beings in streets? Do they not carry diseases? Am I suggesting eradicating them also etc. My answer to that would be, of course that I dont suggest the same remedy for that also, but more importantly in this forum we are talking only about stray dogs and not about stray human beings. If there is a separate message board on how to deal with stray human beings then we can discuss the same in that board.
