* Note: Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the images or open it in a separate internet tab/window.
The below information and documents have been gratefully provided by Mrs. Anjali Sharma, legal advisor to the Animal Welfare Board of India.
Please use them whenever you feel harassed by your local RWA or any other person who attempts to harass you for befriending street dogs,-for these animals have as much a right to inhabit the areas they were born in as we do.
Where these street dogs are born is where they belong.
There is no law that prohibits feeding of street animals, and that citizens who choose to do so are in fact performing a duty cast upon them by the Constitution of India.
Persons who are trying to interfere with their effort, or display aggression, can be held liable for having committed the offence described in the Indian Penal Code and criminal intimidation.
Moreover, that as per Indian law, street dogs cannot be beaten or driven away. They can merely be sterilized in the manner envisaged in the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 (Rules under Indian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960), vaccinated, and then returned back to their original locations.
Attached below are some self-explanatory documents, whose print outs you can take and use and even circulate the same amongst the residents of your area :
1. The scanned copy of a circular (2 pages) issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Training, on the aspect of street animal feeding ;
Public Grievances Circular, Pg 1
Public Grievances Circular, Pg 2
2. A scanned copy of the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 (please specifically refer to Rule 7) ;
The Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001
3. The scanned copy of a directive issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India, constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests ;
4. Scanned copy of an M.C.D. notification, showing the approach of the M.C.D. with regard to street animals (which is based on the law of the land) ;
M.C.D. notification, showing the approach of the M.C.D. with regard to street animals
5. Scanned copy of a Times of India news report regarding a Delhi High Court direction to the police to protect persons who feed stray dogs ;
Times of India Article on feeding
6. Scanned copy of a Hindustan Times news report regarding the view taken by the Supreme Court regarding stray dogs;
Hindustan Times news report regarding the view taken by the Supreme Court regarding stray dogs
7. Scanned copy of an order passed by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi.
Addln Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s order on Street Dogs of India
Additionally, Section 428 of the Indian Penal Code also provides for imprisonment and fine in cases involving animal cruelty.
Every citizen of India is thus hereby advised to abide by the law, and refrain from uncivilized, criminal actions such as seeking to intimidate those who choose to deal with street animals compassionately.
[...] Indian Street Dogs and their ‘rights’ [...]
We had a cute little jet black street dog residing in our colony from the past 3 years.He was too brilliant,loyal and very friendly with localites. But from couple of months he used to get severe injuries over his body.On 23rd october i found that one of its legs were broken and he suffered from serious head injury,though i tried taking him to the veterinary doctor and got him injected,nothing worked because he was so badly injured that he took his last breath.I It was really heart touching for us sight to see him dead.i heard from few of the residents that there was a localite behind this act.Can you please suggest me as to what action could be taken on such brutal guys in future who kill animals to death.I really miss him a lot!!
Hi Dikshitha, what has happened is tragic to say the least, we understand your grief. There is legal recourse that you can take against perpetrators of such gruesome acts against innocent animals for it is illegal under the Indian Penal Code as well as under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. Have also sent you a mail in this regard. Please feel free to call back. Take care.
We love them, we rescued 5 out of 10 born in our little lane in the colony.
. Yes, the father of the newest litter has also come along 
and we get them regularly vaccinated and cared for.
The other 5 had been brutally crushed by ignorant car drivers.
We were ultimately able to save only 2 out of the 5, as the neighbours crushed 3 more!
Now, we have a new litter from one of the two we adopted, so we have 5 more!
They are so innocent, so trusting, such a pleasure and so loyal – In India, people’s hearts have become stone, their blood has become black, and they will rather row in the family than do something constructive.
Dogs are so honest – Indians have become worse!
We are now looking after out 8
Nobody will be allowed to touch ours, let alone take them away – CWG or not – they shall remain!
hi.. i like that u love dogs and u r absolutely right that Indian ppl are so cruel and bad. They dont have and affection and love towards stray dogs and puppies. even i am taking care of 4 puppies in my colony. earlier ppl in our colony used to show aggression on us and dogs too. But now they have realized a lot.. now those ppl including us who are helping and feeding them- true love is rising high and leading a good life with full of positiveness and those who used to fight with us and warn us to take these puppies away are living a life full of miseries. sorry to say this but this is happening in our colony.. i am happy that ppl’s perception towards street dogs are changing … now they r happily adopting them. i will spend my whole life in helping these innocent animals who are extraordinary loyal and friendly..
Congratulations ! D.Saksena….I wish people could understand animals. I am getting phone calls from people asking me to pick up the dogs saying they are a ‘problem’ for them. I tell them , you have taken their home and you have got no rights to kick them out..and then they say they will be poisoned..I wish this world would end..can’t see cruelty being meted to the animals..
D Saksena, i am very happy to read this, it seems to me that there are some people who also care for street animals
i have adopted many street dogs and feed them daily.
i put collar around them so that no one takes them.
but recently someone took off HICCUP’S collar. next day when i went with a new collar, he wasnt there. i was later informed that the municipal took him. now i have no clue as to where to find him. i am damn attached to him and have been searching for him since then. i tried calling municipal pple, but they didnt respond. what shpuld i do??? please help me out…! i want my hiccup back…!!! he is just a 8 months old baby.. damn sweet and cute…!!!
Hi, we have replied to you on the e-mail Nausheen, please read it and then call us for further guidance on how to get HICCUP Back.
Dear Jagruthi,
I am a lover of animals,it has been years since I have been trying to start a trust for the same.I had registered a trust about six years ago but then I simply was not getting support from anyone.Only my wife and myself were doing things on our own.I have looked after n number of stray animals i.e. dogs,cats cattle to the extent I still have a full grown bull which I picked up as a calf with one leg completely disabled because of a car accident.I have a small plot where I have bult a small shelter for animals.I have about four dogs and I am improving the shelter to accomadate more animals.Only thing I am still financing all this from my own pocket.I am now building two seperate shelters one for the big dogs and another one for the puppies because the big ones tend to kill the small puppies.
It is only recently I have started getting help from our local Govt.The D.C. had santcioned Rs.5 Lakhs and from what donation I got for I trust I have given Rs40,000 and we conducted a Birth Control programme with the help of the muncipality for all the stray dogs.I am staying at Manipal .Recently as I had mentioned the people who had operated the dogs came from Bangalore and they have operated about 2500 dogs.There are many more to be operated and I am looking forward to getting funds from people who care for animals.One thing I have found is that people will spend money for anything and everything but to help a poor suffering animal no one is bothered.
I have given n no of puppies for adoption ,I have picked up so many from the streets looked after them and given them away.Right now I have five to be given away which was picked up from the roads left by some heartless students who I beleive left them because the puppies were disturbing them.
I wish people in our country would have a heart and care for these poor animals.At least I hope that people who beleive in rebirth would imagine what would be their plight if they are reborn as a stray dog and at least that would make them donate a care for these poor animals.
Captain’s Animal Care Trust Manipal Udupi District Karnataka
Great Captain. accept my salaam. it’s their own country and they are not wanted by perhaps 90% of their fellow country-being that is humans. I took in care or rather they adopted me last year. and this natural act of mine brought out the utter ugliness which resides so deep in our fellow monied, high-profile, well-resourced people around. well! much hard work, i have managed to save the lives of my brood and i will not let anyone take them away, harm them etc. inspired them, i am also trying to set up an animal shelter. now in the hills looking for land. i am all alone in this venture, not really i have these beautiful creatures who support me all the time. keep going Cap., it’s possible, real love and passion can’t be suppressed.
megha
hi everyone
i love animals and have 5 dogs at my place out of which 3 are street adopted.my mom n her brother are heavily into feeding dogs every night.infact,we get all the dogs spayed and vaccinated(the ones we feed on streets).but recently i have started facing problem from residents of a society(where i was staying earlier)for feeding dogs.what they fail to understand is that during my stay there we had adopted few dogs in the society.since i couldn’t keep all of them at home,i just kept feeding them on streets and getting them regularly vaccinated.now the residents are making a huge fuss over us coming from outside and feeding the dogs,where as all that we do is just take 10minutes in the society to feed.please give in your suggestions on how to tackle the residents of the society as they come down to fight with us regularly.also i feel my n my mom’s safety is heavily in danger when we are in the premises as some of them sound very “threatening”….simrin
Hi Simrin, we had sent you an e-mail describing the best course of action you could take in this regard. Hope it has helped. Please feel free to call in case there are doubts. Thanks
hi, i am a one of street dog lover from kullu district of himachal pradesh. i am an animal lover and from last one year me and one of my friend worked for the stray dogs population in the area. we did vaccination and sterlization of the dogs in the area and there adoption. till date almost 26 pups are adopted by the residents from diffrent areas of the district. whatever we did was on our own level but now we want to do it in a larger scale therefore we got registered an ngo in the area. i really want to know that what type of help we can get from the adminstrative part so that we can do it in larger extent or in a regular manner.
regards
sarla
In my house , a street dog, given birth to four kid , can any give me instruction, what to give them in food , and how to take care , they r sm 10 days old..
Hi,
Feed the mother dog good food while the pups are young as the pups will be happy feeding on their mom’s milk for the first moth or so.
You can give the mother dog- warm milk 3-4 times a day (toned milk and water in 50% ratio each) mixed with brown bread or roti OR whatever else you think she likes, non veg, biscuits whatever you can afford and give her easily.
For pups, you can buy cerelac for babies and give it to them like you would give to babies, they would need to be fed about 6 times a day (small quantities each meal) to begin with (little amounts of cerelac powder dissolved in warm water) and then as they grow up you can feed them 4 times a day (gradually increasing the quantity per meal) with mixtures of milk, cerelac and roti, whatever they like.
Please call on 99589 80909 in case you have doubts.
hello mam.
i just happen to see ur site ..i was trying to make my mind to adopt a street puppy instead of getting an expensive dog..i appreciate your efforts…after visiting this site i have no ifs and buts in my mind and tomorrow in the morning i m gonna adopt that stray puppy before its murderd by the municipal corporation…i m teacher and i ‘ll try my best to proffess this to my young minds my students too..
Thats great Payal. We are very happy to learn about this decision of yours
i and my family house 5 strays and have been looking after them for five years. We have raised through to old age and death, 5 strays before this also. but those looking after strays need to be accountable they dont cause a nuisance to anyone else. if need be, they should be prepared to house strays on a premises. not everyone is comfortable around dogs, particularly the elderly and small children. the consequences to being bitten or even chased by dogs are huge. it is not right to dismiss concerns of the community members when they complain about strays. those complaints should be promptly attended to by those who care about strays.
Yes, pet owners and animal lovers should exercise their rights responsibly as well. Sadly in our society, being compassionate towards animals is not appreciated but rather ridiculed upon….and people who love strays are more often than not subjected to intense humiliation and pressure by the rest of the community…the ‘very community members’ you talk about also have to learn to exercise patience and respect towards stray animals and those who care for them. Equanimity of behaviour is essential for a just and kinder world for all.
would be grateful for every updates
i am staying in ahmedabad.i live at first floor.the ground floor person took a good mother dog.initially all was going good but when the mother gasve birth to 4 puppies i attached to them.one of them got some decease,i took it to the doctor and it survied after few days of feeding of food.now there are ony three oif them alive but as they are small they fight as small babies and make the floor of the ground floor people ugly.now some of them are daily telling me and the person living below me that stop feeding them as they are staying here.i thjing as a baby any child will make the floor dirty but we don’t hit him and catch them to any govt authority.
now they are going to complain to the govt authority to catch the puppies with their mother.the puppies and mother atre very innocent.the mother somhow got the idea of getting catptured and stop taking food yesterday. the govt people will come tommorrow or next day to capture them.
the mother will not caught as i thing the person living below me will save it.
I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION THAT IS IT LEGEL TO CAPTURE THE PUPPIES WITHOUT THEIR MOTHER BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT LIVE WITHOUT THEIR MOTHER AND THAT ALL PUPPIES ARE CAPTURE AND THROWN TO SOME UNKNOWN ARE WHERE THEY WILL BE KIILED BY OTHER DOGS?
PLEASE REPLY SO THAT I CAN GIVE THE GOVT BODY A PROPER ANSWER.PLEASE REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OTHERWISE I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE PEOPLE MOVING THE PUPPIES FROM HIS MOTHER.
THANKS,
VIVEK RAVAL
It is illegal and against the Animal Birth Control Rules 2001 outlined under the Central Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 to capture young pups and/or a lactating mother for sterilization purposes and other than this, generally and legally speaking it is illegal to DISLOCATE dogs anywhere and grossly illegal and inhumane to separate mom and puppies, the only legal solution is to get them sterilizaed, (ideally, mother bitch can be sterilized 3 months after giving birth and pups at 6 months of age)…and after sterilization the dogs, mother bitch & puppies have to be released into the same area where they had been picked up from for where they are born is where they belong.
mam,
this is a miracle.the mother dog which was caught on11/03/2011 suddenly came back on 7/04/2011.it is really intelligent as it come back after traveling a long distance from where it was thrown.i don’t know how but it came back but i am now much worried about the puppies which were caught with it.before this i was thinking that at least the mother is with the puppies but now the puppies are with out their mother and i don’t know where they are.how can i know that where are these puppies.i have tried out searching them by getting some info about the area where they were thrown,but in vain.mam now the as the mother dog has come back and as i told you that it is so intelligent that when it get hungry it just shakes the door of the ground floor person with whom it is attached more.but now the people who made the efforts to catch them are stunned and i think that one of them can again complain also.the one puppy that was saved out of three is now with his mother.but i am afraid of the injured puppy which was caught and thrown with his mother.
i will try to save in the same way to other animals but prey god that no such worst condition comes for any animal.
hi i am street dog lover.my father is a dog trainer and he always keep a mongrel dog(indian stray dog) at home .one died another come to live.indian stray dog are very strong from other breed they r very loyal. please once keep indian stray dog you will never keep another dog thats my openion.
Hello,
This is regarding the newly adopted puppy from my locality. I have adopted puppies before but old enough to leave its mother comfort.
This been only 2-3 weeks old (I guess) as it can walk but with wobbling legs and only drink milk (not even water). Got it home as it’s mother died. Its been 2 weeks of which 1st week I have fed it with bottle.
This email is just to gain few tips from you to raise “Mack” in best possible ways.
I am keeping it as my personal pet so need to groom it like those pedigree one’s providing all comfort and training.
Regards,
Abhi Y
Hi Abhi, we have replied to you on the mail, hope that helps. Thanks for adopting an Indian dog
Wishing Mack a healthy long life with you.
1. Fix him a place in ur home
2. Fix his timings of eating and going out
3. Early morning walk is necessary i think
4. Assume the position of a leader with ur dog else he will and then it is hard to make him obey u
5. Love him a lot
6. Altho Pedigree is quite good but dont forget chapatis and bread and milk. lots of it.. (Atleast my dog loves it)
oh and mind ur slippers. he will be after them so get him chew toys and a bone
Hello everybody.. It was 1st Jan 2011 when i noticed a cute white pup with little black markings following him.. I decided to adopt him and named him FURBALL. earlier he used to run away and create mess in my room but now he has accepted me.. Although i am a student in Rajasthan with not much funds available to me i still ensure that he is well. He is my darling and my friend. Despite fierce parental opposition and living alone in rented quarters i am proud to have FURBALL with me. He is cute, lovable and doesnt create any problems.. Runs like the wind and loves me like hell.. I appeal to all u people not to look upon stray dogs as something ewwww. Lets not forget that they are also dogs. If we love them they will love us too. I am an avid dog lover but still FURBALL has taught me a lot of things.. And thanks for posting the rules. To hell with anyone now who suggests taking him away from me… Although i never have any problem with any dog till date still i request you all to give me tips on how to keep my dog good because his behaviour is diffferent than the standard fine breed dogs.. Thank u everybody.
This is wonderful post. Really opens one’s eyes that the Govt hasn’t been ignorant of the dogs, at least on paper. I think now there should be certain laws that safeguard and facilitate animal rescue organizations for a better return to all the effort they put in. If there are, do let us know!
two people had come to my home the other day looking for a home,they said other people had asked them to move out because they had 3 dogs with them in their house and others were objecting to it. can anything be done about it?
Thats really the discretion of the owners of that house, though this is really sad.
very good writing ! i like this
Great site mam, Me and my mother are animal lover. I take care of all the puppys of my colony and they also stay with me. once a time 23 street dogs are with me but now a days 9 dogs are in my gardens sometimes they gone out and back at night only. I feed all them 3 times a day. In morning biscuts, afternoon bajari roti and milk, at night rice-dal khichadi and butter milk with boiled eggs. will u please guide me for better and healthy food. and important matter is that one of my dearest female puppy age 6 years named CHINI. she cant walk since last 2 years her legs suddenly cant work before 2 years and now after long time her front legs get band. i ask local vaterny but they said there is a no cure for this bone problem. she face lots of problems. well i take best care of her. for toilet and urine i put her on ground when she done then lift and back to her chair. my only wish is my CHINI can walk once again. i am from lower middle class but i can do my best for my dear puppy they are my life. and please also send a copy of all animal rites rules.
JAGRUTI
Hi, we had replied to your mail promptly too, request you to kindly call us on the numbers shared with you, so that we can help you help Chini. Thanks.
mam last month there was a news in the mumbai mirror dat anbody illtreating any dog either it is stray or pedigreed has to to pay a fine of rs 1 crore or imprisonment of 5 rs…how far it is true..
Hi Aarti, the news that came out in the paper was actually on the Draft Animal Welfare Act 2011 which is as yet not a law as it is yet to be passed by the parliament..so at the moment one can’t enforce this law or punishment. What is enforceable at the moment on animal cruelty issues is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
We are planning to comemmerise sept 28 as world rabies day at calicut , kerala state.Main focus is on control of rabies through vaccination and ABC programme. We planned to educate 1000 people( Responsible persons from local self govt., health inspectors, students etc.) to make rabies history.
Indian veterinary association calicut
What’s the ruling/notice that is the source of the statement that stray dogs have the right to live where they are born? Want to cite it in a poster I am making for the JU campus.
Thank you so much..
people should aware and should resolve to save the innocent animals from cruelity.your civic sense should be alart so that you will never indulge in selfish activity.live and let live
they are also a part of our life.
Dogs are the sweetest and the most trustworthy animals! Whenever I see dogs I give them some food and help them some how! But indian people have become heartless they hit dogs thinking they are not a life! But I just want to give a message to the public that dogs are the most cutest thing just help them give them food even if you can’t even adopt them also. Try and love them. And the people who hit and poison dogs should be kept behind the bars. And strict action should be taken againt the brutal people who harm stray or any kind of dogs. Dogs should be loved.
@vasudha
. all in all we have 12 dogs(6 puppies 6 adult with 2 adult female). I love to take care of them .we havevaccinated them and till now have not sterlize them as in between we lost the whole genration of these street dogs because of parvo disease and will only sterlize them if we feel the population is out of control.
we are taking care of street dogs for the last 3 years(me and my mother). initially it was a female dog.. now her third generation has also arrived
I wanted to know some of the things::
(1) we generally feed them with rotis,milk and break.. is it fine or milk shud be avoided(I read it somewhere)
(2) pls educate more on the diseases to these dogs..
(3) one common disease that is recurring in my dogs are itching disease where there are red spots all over the body and they cause lot o pain.. what is the solution or it?
(4) difference between Pariah and Mongrel.
Have replied to you over the email Himanshu. Please check your inbox. Thanks.
Oh while it is very wonderful that you take care of these dogs the very best thing you could do is have them sterilized . No more puppies are needed in this world we have more than enough. It will give the female a much better life . Please consider it .
awesome compilation to empower animal lover, sincere thanks for the effort.
Thanks Ankit
Hey, we got puppies back [:)], i submitted hardcopy of all the documents to IIT public health office. Their mother was caught the same day i called you, still not back, what can i do?
It is great to see all this love for animals but what I am seeing to little is sterilization action. Feeding animals is wonderful and will help them but the ultimate aim is reduce suffering long term and that can only be achieved by sterilization.
In my mind the sequence of activities should be as follows:
1. Feed animal to help making it stronger/healthier and make friends.
2. Once you have its trust get the animal vaccinated.
3. Once the vaccines have taken effect, get it sterilized
4. Afterwards, continue to feed and love it.
Just by feeding and no sterilization you actually make matters worse because healthy, well-fed animals produce larger litters.
We can not wait until NGOs do the job, we have to get involved ourselves. Pay a vet, bring and pick up the dog/cat to/from the birth control centre, etc. Be pro-active! And keep up all the good work!
im maria and my mother and me feed and care for majority of the street dogs in my area on a regular basis. none of them are harmful, but just because of a few selfish citizens who call the municipality, these dogs undergo great stress n torture. they say “good these dogs will be taken away”…how to bring about this attitude change?!
Remember that the Municipality can only pick dogs up for sterilizing and vaccinating them and they are legally bound to return them to the same place where they were picked up from after they are sterilized by the NGO the Municipality is working with, so know the law and dont be afraid of these society guys. Get all dogs sterilized and vaccinated by collaborating/requesting help from the animal NGO doing Dog Sterilization work nearest to your place and the Municipality vehicles can never pick up a sterilized dog (recognised by a half cut one ear) or even mothers with pups