You are on a road trip with your friends. The sweet breeze coming through the car window has notched up the mood, as you and your friends vibe with the song buzzing through the stereo. Suddenly, you need to pull the brakes and find yourself stuck in the road amidst honking cars. You look out to realise that the road has been jammed by a cattle of cows & goats slowly crossing the road. Quite a nuisance, isn’t it? 

Straying animals in the middle of busy roads is a common scene in Arunachal Pradesh; as can be found in many parts of India. And these circumstances pose a threat to vehicle users on road. Apart from causing traffic jams, the sudden appearance of stray animals on road has led to severe fatalities in the past and continues to cause accidents till now. 

Cause of the rising population

The ever-increasing population of street animals in the state tells a different story than the general perspective. The reality lies in the fact that not all pet owners treat their pets with equal responsibility. Many people are drawn to puppies & kittens and desire to pet them. Some flaunt their fur babies in social media while others become pet owners because they want to get in on the trend. However, maintaining a pet is a major responsibility. And many don’t realise the challenges that come with having a pet; until they get one. This is where the problem starts. Once the pets become too difficult to handle, or when they grow out of their ‘cute’ puppy / kitten phase, many owners take the easy route and abandon them on the streets. Of course, this is not true for all pet owners, but the sad reality is that a lot of people do in fact, get rid off their responsibilities. 

Another cause of the rise in the number of street animals is that a good segment of people prefers to purchase pups from pet stores. However, very few are open to the idea of adopting street animals. As a result, the people with the capability to nurture pets continue to prioritise store-bought animals, and the street dogs and cats who could have gotten a new home, are left wandering in the streets.

Common misconceptions

Stray animals, especially dogs, are often looked upon as ferocious and ready to bite people. Whereas, others are considered to be disease carriers. Due to these preconceived notions,  we tend to keep our distance from them, and in some unfortunate cases, these animals are brutally beaten up. 

Animals on the streets have seen nothing but conflicts and deadly fights in order to survive. Most of them are scared of humans. So its not uncommon for them to either bark at people approaching them with a defensive stance or run away from them. In the case of stray cats, they would rather make an escape than be approached by a stranger. 

Stray animals like cats, dogs, and pigs are often thought to survive because of their agility and the ability to adjust in the street. However, the dead carcasses of animals that keep showing up from time to time on the road, tell a different tale. Despite their agility, they don’t have a shelter to stay warm and protected. The streets are a constant battlefield.

What can be done?

There is a lot that can be done to control the population of street animals and provide them with food & shelter. Firstly, it is important for people to realise that pet animals do not understand when their owners get tired of them. Even in old age, pets look up to their owners for support. Therefore, if you’re considering getting a pet, only go forward with your decision if you’re absolutely sure that you are up for the responsibility. It’s not just about the food you provide them. Rather, cultivating a healthy bond with your pet over trust & loyalty is crucial. If more people start following it, then the abandoning culture will diminish for good.  

Next up, a proper waste management system in public places will help maintain the garbage dumping spots and prevent street animals from contracting germs & diseases. Like human rights, animal rights need to be implemented with complete sincerity. While solving the issue of stray animals and the problems associated with it, it is to be ensured that animal rights are not being breached. 

Also, to control the population of stray animals, a mass sterilisation and immunisation drive will prove extremely effective in controlling the population from growing much further. 

A ray of hope

So far the picture of stray animals appears to be quite grim. However, not everything in this story has to be grey. Many NGOs and animal lovers across the state are working tirelessly for the well-being of stray animals. A certain NGO called ‘The Caretaker’ is helping stray animals in distress. It is a group of like-minded youths from the state who volunteer to work for the welfare of the stray animals and have taken the responsibility to feed them. The NGO advocates adoption of stray animals while imparting awareness on how important it is to vaccinate them. It also runs a small shelter for dogs. Most of the volunteers are students, along with some government employees. 

There is another group of youths known by the name ‘TriAge Souls’. Led by Agu Licha and Nabam Saha, these young minds took up the responsibility of feeding stray dogs on their own during the lockdown phase. Highly dependent on donations, the team works passionately for the welfare of the dogs, who eagerly wait for them with wagging tails. 

While these endeavours might not make a very big change in uplifting the status of stray animals at this very moment, it is still a good start. It is a good start in the sense that it might not save thousands of stray animals but it sure does ignite optimism in animal lovers around the state. Stories like these heavily influence the netizens. To be honest, the matter of stray animals isn’t taken seriously, other than complaining about problems caused by them. What we need to understand is that if the issue is not uprooted carefully, the problem will persist forever. Let us be kind enough to treat them with the care they deserve. Animals are not just pets, they are a responsibility. Let’s understand our responsibility and act in our own individual capacity towards nurturing the street animals around us.