Don't bark your head off about a 'stray dog menace', deal with it humanely
We have two dogs now: Sunny and Jinny. If I ever raise my voice at them, my mother threatens to leave me out of her will. They now spend afternoons sleeping at Ma's feet, getting into growling matches with crows on the window grill, and making it impossible for all of us to come home in a bad mood.
Right now, both are in the only two office chairs at my desk. I'm sitting cross-legged on the floor typing this.
Sunny was found at Dombivli guarding a watchman who guarded a building. Someone chopped off his tail, and the watchman had to call animal rescue because he couldn't afford medical fees. Jinny was found near Dadar Station by schoolkids who then called rescuers.
The evolution of man is the evolution of dogs. No other creature is designed in its DNA to fulfil the function of companion, protector, and emotional support for us humans. My Sunny and Jinny are of an unknown mixed breed. Streeties fall under the umbrella name of 'indie', which seems like a fitting name for this independent-minded group of dogs and to the fact that it took years of adaptation and natural selection for them to be here — on streets, homes, and hearts in the Indian subcontinent.
Indies have Indian qualities: sturdy, agile, resourceful, fast learners, and protective. They are the original 'Made in India'. My friend Shivani calls them 'community dogs'. And she's right. If streets are a part of our community, then creatures on them are that community as well.
Conflict between man and animal plays out in our cities regularly. 'Stray Dog
