A few days ago I was walking by myself through the maze of very narrow streets in one of Jodhpur’s older neighborhoods. It was the middle of the afternoon, and most people and animals were sheltering from the blazing heat. I had to meet someone in that area, so I trudged along despite the heat. I was almost at my destination, when I heard the first warning growl. I slowly backed up, but it was already too late. The growl turned into full-fledged barking, and pretty soon all the dogs in the neighborhood were spreading the news that there was a stranger in town. When they began to ran towards me, I turned around and quickly found a resident I could walk with to get past the dogs.
This was not a unique experience. Unfortunately, when one goes anywhere in Jodhpur, one is cautioned about the stray dogs. Stray animals have been a problem in communities throughout India for a very long time. In 1960, India enacted the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and in 2001 the Animal Birth Control (ABCdogs) Rules were enacted. Under the ABC Rules for dogs, cities and municipalities are not allowed to capture, kill or relocate dogs. However, they can sterilize and immunize the dogs, which must then be returned to their original location.
