A new topic is running up the temperature of discussions, creating divides within families and friends, and it’s not to do with religion or politics. It’s dogs.

Pet dogs and “strays”, as local indigenous breeds are called. And as heated discussions often go, this one too is barking up the wrong tree. Recent footage of pets (snapping at residents in elevators or chasing others in parks) are indeed disturbing

. But the responsibility here lies entirely with the owner of the pet, or pet-parent (as they are referred to in the animal-lovers universe).

Understanding their needs

People often buy breed-dogs to match their own aspirations, without understanding the pet’s needs, expenses and handling. Several breeds are unsuited to the local ecosystem, for instance, Huskies (hailing from extremely cold regions). Take the Pit Bull or Rotweiller, depending on who you ask, they either swear by its affection or point to its ferocity.

Bottomline, you need to know your pet, understand its behaviour and be able to handle it. It is important for the pet-parent to be educated about the animal they bring home. If you own a marque car and it meets with an accident because you are unable to handle it, it’s the person behind the wheel who will be held accountable. It’s the same logic with pets.

In fact, to streamline accountability further, the government needs to enforce the registration of pets. A spin-off benefit would be that people abandoning pets can also be traced.

The pandemic witnessed several pets being abandoned, as people lost their jobs and were unable to keep pace with the pet’s special requirements.

Another advantage of registration is to track puppy-mills (where dogs are commercially bred, allegedly in unhealthy environments and pups are sold). In fact, the Law Commission had come out with a report to regulate pet shops, breeders, aquariums, etc.

In some parts of the world, like California, the retail sale of companion animals has been outlawed.

The idea was to encourage adoption of local and homeless dogs.

And here’s where the discussion in India on the “menace” of local dogs, comes in.

Animal birth control

There is a solution in place for several decades now, where States undertake the ABC (animal birth control) programme that regulates the dog population and makes the animal less aggressive.

Local municipalities working with animal-welfare groups pick up local dogs, get them sterilised and vaccinated against rabies and return them to the same locality.

It is a scientific solution, unlike “culling” (euphemism for killing). In a country that prides itself on ahimsa (non-violence), it’s time to implement more of such humane solutions and not gun for soft furry targets.