Editor,
For a very long time, dogs have been men’s best friends. For travel, hunting, fishing, fighting, and other activities, our ancestors used dogs. Archaeologists have now discovered proof that canines and humans coevolved. Since dogs have demonstrated unwavering love and support for human lifestyles, they have earned a special and deeply valued place in our hearts, and this link has been celebrated for aeons.
As time goes on, we are now dealing with what can be called ‘man-animal conflict’, and to our dismay, it’s not just the wild ones but also our own neighborhood canines.
Using basic numbers and information, we can see that India has up to 59 million street canines, and experiences about 20,000 human cases of rabies each year. Dogs mediate approximately 99 percent of human rabies cases, mostly through bites, making these numbers the highest in the world and intricately connected to one another. There have been four documented rabies-related deaths this year, even in our state. In a society where negative opinions about dogs as filthy outsiders are easy to form, these factors exacerbate animosity against dogs. Some locals have started killing dogs.
In response to the growing number of dog bite incidents in the Itanagar area, the district administration has recommended that pet owners make sure their animals are vaccinated and kept in a safe and secure environment, and directed the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) to transfer the stray canines to the Arunachal Dog and Cat Rescue, an NGO located in Lekhi, in a secure manner.
However, particularly in our capital region, inadequate mass sterilisation and care campaigns, poor pet ownership, and inadequate waste management have resulted in an increase in the number of street dogs. Therefore, with little people and resources, authorities are likewise powerless.
Now is the moment for the people to voluntarily take corrective action, moving the dogs to a large, secure area with the help of NGOs and the authorities. As people have belief in the survival of the fittest philosophy since the beginning of time, these conflicts will only get worse in the future due to the fast urbanisation and population rise of both humans and canines.
Moreover, an examination of other approaches can reveal that for certain individuals, this misfortune could present a chance. Not only do we employ dogs as pets, but we also use them for sacrifice and ritual purposes as a tribal state with roots in indigenous religion and faith. The selling of dog (meat) in the market could be made lawful by the authorities, with appropriate licence or permit, such as in the state of Nagaland, in order to address the dog problem in a way that benefits everyone. On the plus side, the number of dogs will naturally decline significantly as a result of this, giving our people a source of subsistence and income.
Although some animal lovers may regard the sale of dogs to be cruel, the slaughter of any particular animal is not specifically forbidden by the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standard and Food Activities) Regulation, 2011.
Similarly, the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 does not forbid the killing of animals that are not specified in the guidelines.
We cannot force someone to enjoy or adore something that we do; so how they respond to a circumstance is entirely up to their perspective. The solution should be widely agreed upon, even yet the issue that impacts every member of society should be debated in public. Additionally, all stray dogs have to be vaccinated, sterilised, and housed in enclosed spaces as part of a government effort, with the help of the public.
Yiri Kamcham,
Kamcham,
Lower Siang