Expert: Lee Meyer - 8/25/2008

Question
Hi, I am Khushi.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bombay has pronounced that anyone who feeds stray dogs in public places would be fined Rs. 500. This law is passed in the wake of dog lovers being hurt by dogs in return of their generosity. I don't know whether this is true or staged by the papers.
But I personally think this is a draconian law and people should be taught to live in harmony with nature instead of conditioning them to fear or hate it. This would make people     fear or hate dogs who have the right to live as much as we.

In another case a paper reported that doctors had to amputate a girl's arm. Papers reported that she contacted it from stray dogs. I am sceptical about this.

I really love dogs. I can't stay without cuddling them especially stray dogs.


sir, i would like to know your opinion on this.
Thank you.


Answer
Hi,

to be honest, I don't really know very much about this situation, other than what you have mentioned.

I do find it difficult to believe that Hindus, however, would not want to be kind to all animals, considering that for those that believe in reincarnation, they may very well be ancestors in the stray dogs.  Is there not some kind of religious argument that can be made for charity towards strays?  Are they not higher than the untouchables?

As for living in harmony with nature, that is fine.  However packs of abandoned stray dometicated dogs are hardly a natural phenomena.  Further any pack of animals that is left free to roam around and go anywhere it chooses, how do you live in harmony with that?  You can't live in harmony with a tornado, it comes and demolishes you and your house.  A pack of stampeding animals comes and destroys crops.  There is no harmony there.  

There sounds like there is a genuine need for people to start a shelter for stray dogs there.  A shelter with the goal of getting these dogs cleaned up and socialized to be able to be adopted by loving families.  To do something to both care for the dogs, and address the health/safety concerns of people.  It could be a win-win situation.

Lee