For most of us, the sight of street dogs in India brings about feelings of fear, disgust or even apathy. We may mean no harm but our encounters with street dogs often result in us changing lanes, shooing them away or even, unfortunately, in violence. There are many myths about street dogs that we are exposed to but that doesn’t mean that they are all true. Here are few myths that are totally false!
Street Dogs are Dangerous
Any animal (or even humans, for that matter) is made “dangerous” by their circumstances. No dog wants to chase you or bite you because they can. These are reactions that are triggered by the experiences they have faced in their lives and how others around them have treated them. If you treat them with kindness and respect their space, they will do the same for you.
Street Dogs are unhygienic and carry diseases
Street dogs in India are often left to fend for themselves and have to make do with whatever they can. They usually don’t have homes to go to or pet parents to look after them, which is the reason behind them being dirty or eating scraps off the road. All they are trying to do is survive. So, the next time you spot a street dog in your community, you can get them any of these essentials to make their lives a little better, comfortable and safer.
Street Dogs are not friendly or social
As mentioned above, how a street dog behaves around you is shaped by their past interactions with other humans. If they have been threatened, mistreated or simply driven away, then they may not take kindly to you, feel intimidated by your presence or trust you easily. It’s natural for them to be guarded, in this case. But if they have grown up around caring, loving individuals who have looked after them, they will see you as friendly too and treat you the same way. It’s patience and adequate space that helps street dogs shed inhibitions and come say hello. This process can be accelerated with regular feeding or tossing them a dog treat every now and then.
Street dogs are not as affectionate as breed dogs
Again, street dogs will treat you like how you treat them. If you are kind and respectful of them and their spaces, they will reciprocate the feeling.