SHILLONG: At a time when the southern state of Kerala is resorting to culling stray dogs as a knee-jerk effect to a series of attacks on humans, a group of dog lovers in the State has found a compassionate way of dealing with the canines, often considered a man’s best friend.
Red FM and NGO People for Animals have started a unique drive to stop cruelty against the animals. They have strapped jackets around several strays in and around Police Bazar and its adjacent localities to spread awareness on animal cruelty among locals.
One of the 40-50 dogs with jackets – which have messages like ‘Protest Crackers, Protect Animals’ and ‘Ye Diwali Insano Waali’ – one stray lives near Sadar Police Station and is often found accompanying the cops during their patrolling duty. He is known to the police personnel as Blackie.
In fact, the police station premises is a favourite among strays living in and around Jail Road and Police Bazar.
RJ Kit, who is also the producer of Red FM, said initiative is to create awareness among people on the need for protecting stray dogs and other animals from cruelty and assault as well as from crackers and fireworks. “We are shocked to hear that many people use them for trade besides there are people who kill them just for fun,” he said.
Another Red FM RJ, Desmond Sunn, said they wanted to urge people not to harm stray animals on Diwali. The group is planning to organise similar programmes in a larger scale.
