As another year ends, I sit, thinking about the New Year celebrations that might again scare my dogs away under the bed due to crackers. It is our right to celebrate occasions, but when that becomes a painful injustice, all I can ask myself is when will this stop, and who can make that difference?
In my experience and knowledge, a society or a country is run by its leaders and their governments. Thus with humility, I write to the leaders who make great efforts to create a prosperous and harmonious environment for us to live the best of our lives.
Though I understand the significance of our species’ survival in creating an equitable society, my concern goes to the other life forms, especially those that coexist with us. As of now, studies imply that human evolution has caused the extinction of around 10000 animal species including the Passenger pigeon, Quagga, Tasmanian tiger, Steller’s sea cow, Great auk, Caribbean monk seal, Dodo, Moa, Guam rail, Western Black Rhinoceros, Javan Tiger, Golden Toad, Pinta Island Tortoise to name a few and many more.
Until the age of 27, I didn’t experience this coexistence as I was scared of dogs, cats, cows and all other animals we see around us. My parents and teachers didn’t understand this coexistence and hence were never taught about animals, I believe. Nevertheless, I was taught that they are dangerous and infectious, and was also that animals were made for us to kill and eat. I have also learnt how to dump kittens far away in a bag before they grow up to become a nuisance. Throwing stones and using sticks to shoo them away was always taught.
I understand they were part of the system created by leaders and their followers, but it’s been 77 years and this coexistence with animals which evolved with us has not been introduced into our education systems. The reason I believe animal husbandry should be part of every curriculum is explained below through a few incidents among many that happened over the past 6 months with a few follow-up questions with examples from other lands.
I had been looking for which problem to pick in the development sector as it gave me a sense of purpose, I was following news and works around differently-abled kids and adults, is when I came across a piece of news where Nihal Naushad, an 11-year-old autistic kid died from stray dog attacks on June 11 in Kannur, Kerala.
Again in Kannur, a week later a 9-year-old kid named Jhanvi was attacked by 3 stray dogs on June 19 inside the compound of her house. Thankfully she survived, though with fatal injuries across her body. But this time, people were able to successfully locate and identify those three dogs and torture them to death.
In the last week of July, the stray dog menace grew at Trivandrum International Airport, bringing news that some security and an airline staff got attacked by the dogs. The consequences were around 20 dogs getting massacred and a few even buried alive.
G20 Summit preparation around August and the beginning of September was all around the news where we first hid the slums, scared the monkeys away and then dogs were all tied up and hidden which were spread across social media.
As the festival of light arrives, it is a period in India where dogs and cats get displaced from their territories because of the loud bursting noises, lights and smoke in some cases. There are cases reported where even the domestic animals escaped their own homes. This year also, I found a few lost strays.
On 22nd November, again in Kerala, 7 puppies were drowned to death by some shopkeepers and traders to stop the menace before it became a menace.
My questions go to the parents and schools i.e. education ministry, the CMs and the PM; why wasn’t there a pet dog in the houses where stray dogs entered and if there were, were they tied or caged? Why did this happen in our society? Can this coexistence not be taught and expanded? What about the justice for the dogs that got killed without prosecution? Are we still at war for survival against this species evolving beside us?
Here are the rough stats of dog attack cases:
- Dog attack cases this year – 27.5 lakhs. Source: Business Standard
- Dog attack cases each year – 17 lahks in 2021, 21.8 lahks in 2022, 27.5 lahks in 2023. Source: New Indian Express
- Deaths this year: 10. Source: India.com
- Deaths each year: 18K – 20K. Source: WHO
- Stray dogs count: As of 2023, 3.5 crores. Source: TOI
The Netherlands recently became the first no stray country and some countries set themselves as an example of this coexistence. Source: DutchReview
In India, we have Goa, which has been declared rabies-free when India accounts for over one-third of global rabies deaths. Source: TOI
I wonder why can we not have this as part of our education system to make this planet more harmonious. Especially when higher education can offer animal husbandry and even welfare as courses in colleges and universities. A few days back, crackers were burnt again in the name of another god, and my dog as always ran away to hide. As this year ends, I pray to the leaders and fellow humans, to do what you can to make this world a better place.
ego feels..! 