New Delhi: Under the winter sun at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, the gathering was lively from the start. It opened with sharp arguments, questions, satire and a dog in a jacket who kept stealing the spotlight, running through the crowd like an unexpected mascot. Standing there were animal welfare groups, caregivers, veterinarians, lawyers, artists and people from across India, united in opposition to a recent Supreme Court order they believe threatens the lives of community dogs.
Ahead of the apex court’s next hearing on Jan 7, those assembled under the banner Do or Die called for an immediate stay on what they described as mass removal and confinement orders for community dogs. They demanded “meaningful hearings” before Supreme Court, insisting that veterinarians, epidemiologists, public health experts, ecologists, and animal behaviour scientists be consulted before any sweeping directions are issued. They argued for a return to evidence-based steps, with funding, monitoring and enforcement of the Animal Birth Control-Anti Rabies Vaccination programme already mandated by law.Placards with “Aawara nahi, hamara hai” written popped above the crowd as speaker after speaker stressed that the issue was not about animals alone, but about govt. Animal rights activist Ambika Shukla grounded the gathering in history and policy. “No two species has evolved together like humans and dogs. We’ve coexisted for 30,000 years,” she said. “This is not an animal issue, it’s a govt issue.” She called for an immediate halt to removals, strict implementation of sterilisation and vaccination programmes, and a rejection of mass shelters.While accused and convicted criminals in cases of rape and murder often walk free on bail, community dogs are the ones being “jailed” in shelters, the activists said. Animal rights activist Manavi Rai laid out the logistical absurdity of mass shelters. “We would need nearly 5 lakh acres to build shelters for around 10 lakh dogs,” she said. “Shelters require infrastructure and trained personnel. The cost of a single shelter is about Rs 10 lakh a month. Where will this money come from?”Feeders spoke from experience, offering glimpses into years of quiet caregiving. One woman said she was beaten up by neighbours for feeding community dogs. A 10-year-old boy spoke shyly about looking after dogs near the National School of Drama. Rajkumari, a street vendor from Janpath who has cared for over 200 dogs, struggled to finish her sentences when she spoke about dogs dying in front of her. “This earth belongs to everyone, not just humans,” she said.Lawyer Gauri Puri said: “If the number of dogs on the streets is increasing,” she said, “the blame lies not with the dogs, but with authorities who failed to implement sterilisation and other mandated measures.”Stand-up comedian Manu Abhishek used humour to make a point. “I was playing Who Let the Dogs Out. So who let the dogs out? Not Supreme Court for sure,” he said. “Capture the thugs, instead of the pugs.”
