Why that abandoned dog needs your attention

A disconcerting news report last week raised an alarm about dogs going missing in Delhi, that too from a densely populated industry suburb. The distraught owner of one of those canines, Brownie, has promptly launched a collective online campaign – #justiceforBrownie – which alludes to the very dogs being slaughtered for meat. Ghastly!

The campaign is aimed at banning the practice of dog meat being used for an assortment of delicacies, including momos, biryani and kebabs. It is also to bring about awareness on the issue and make the culprits accountable. If this is the case with domesticated dogs, one can’t imagine the plight of stray dogs and their abandoned cousins.

Animal rescuers and shelters, naturally, are a concerned lot. Abodh Aras, CEO of The Welfare of Stray Dogs, was quoted telling ScoopWhoop, “You name a breed and we have found it on the streets.” This includes pedigree ones as well.

Apparently, Labradors are the most commonly abandoned dogs found at animal shelters in India. The primary reasons cited for their abandonment are health concerns and behavioural issues. It ultimately boils down to the attitude of people. They just don’t want to commit to offering shelter to a pet for life nor do they care much for strays or abandoned dogs.

Recent estimates suggest that around 600,000 pets are getting adopted in India annually. But the figure might fade in comparison with the humongous number of dogs being abandoned on the streets or those that end up on our plates. This makes a strong case for you to adopt an abandoned pet rather than going for an expensive option of buying them.

Here is some inspiration for you: Indian cricketer Virat Kohli recently (passive) adopted 15 destitute dogs, most of them crippled and blind, from a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Bangalore. Who knows? He might have inadvertently saved a few reaching eateries.

Are you up for it?