Dogs like any other animal are known to be peaceful beings unless provoked. Even a snake bites only when it senses danger to its own existence.
Of late social media especially WhatsApp is witnessing a trend of forwarding gruesome videos of dogs mercilessly attacking children. Nobody knows the origin of these videos, but same are being forwarded mostly with a tagline about consequences of feeding of stray dogs and a request to forward these videos as much as possible.
Sounds like some propaganda at play.
Amongst all animals, dogs are known to be very benign and loving when kept as a domesticated pet at home. Even as strays they are known for their attachment to human beings and unfailing loyalty to the hand that feeds them.
Every locality has its 'Kaalu' or 'Sheru' or 'Chotu' or 'Rani' which in majority cases came to the locality as an abandoned puppy and was collectively adopted by the locals. As it grows into an adult, these stray dogs, not only display affectionate responses to the locals but also have unflinching loyalty to the premises, which perhaps may be more than the loyalty displayed by the locals themselves for their premises. In such situations, an outsider may not always be welcome and the dog may bark. The outsider can be a delivery person, security guard or any random visitor new to the premises. If on such occasions the person concerned tries to show fear or agression over the area domination exercise of the dog, then the dog may turn violent and may even attempt to bite the intruder as part of its animal instinct. There is absolutely nothing wrong on the part of the dog if it is so provoked. Rather it is prudent for the human being blessed with superior thinking abilities, either to ignore the dog and confidently move ahead or to get acquainted with the stray rather than intimidate it.
Another reason for stray dogs displaying attacking behaviour can be unpleasant memories of having been themselves attacked by human beings, or having been injured or having lost its kith or kin by being run over by a speeding vehicle. That's why we witness dogs running after vehicles in certain localities.
Left to themselves dogs will rarely attack human beings especially when they know that their very survival is due to us.
Coming to the appeals being made for stopping feeding of stray dogs, thought in the right perspective, isn't such an appeal equivalent to starving a living being to death? Does any religion on earth allow this?
If we as dominant human beings sitting pretty on top of the food chain as consumers, are to stop feeding other animals then what are such animals supposed to do? Sit quietly waiting for themselves to be starved to death, or will they not start attacking us more sensing danger to their very existence?
And if we are to stop feeding dogs because they bite, shouldn't we also stop feeding cats, pigeons, birds, etc. etc. for the various risks they pose for our healthy existence. To think on extremes we should also stop feeding ruminants like cows and buffaloes as they produce toxic methane gas. Things can spiral unreasonably, if stopping of feeding of a dependant animal species is the way forward for ensuring safe living environment for us human beings.
And more importantly who has licensed us human beings to decide which type of living organism should survive and which one is to be eliminated?
Lastly, considering the sage advice that hunger is the root cause of all evil, how prudent is it to stop feeding a stray dog to ensure that it wont attack /bite? Conversely all that a well fed dog does is sleep peacefully. Isn't that more prudent?
