Bhutan prime minister Dr. Lotay Tshering asked his countrymen to adopt a stray dog as a gift for their King's 40th birthday.
Bhutan is one of India's neighbour. Just like India it is also struggling with the growing stray dog population.
But unlike our politicians and ministers who have turned a blind eye to the everyday man-dog and man-man conflict and left everything on the mercy of the municipal corporations, the Prime Minister of Bhutan has made a public appeal to his citizens to adopt a stray dog.
He has asked his people to adopt a dog, plant a tree or help in waste management as a gift for their king's 40th birthday.
This only shows the Prime Minister's foresight and vision. He knows well that without green environment and animals the existence of human race is not possible in the long run.
Wish our ministers too had this kind of foresight and vision.
To our knowkedge there has not been a single minister in the present government both at the center and at the state level in India who has come out openly in support of the stray dogs. Who has openly asked people to love dogs and embrace them and make them a part of their family.
Instead the politicians in India have been siding with the dog haters and giving them ample opportunity to take law into their hands. We have seen that happening in Ghaziabad. Things are only getting from bad to worse. Complete lawlessness.
Indian ministers need to wake up. They got to learn from the Prime Minister of a country which is not even one tenth the size of India.
Or are they in agreement with the policies and steps taken by Pakistan to curb their stray dog population?
Pakistan the other neighbour of India has recently killed thousands of stray dogs. The killing was done on government orders.
We have seen that recently few states in India (Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Orissa) have butchered their dogs to death. They died either in the name of rabies or in the name of swachhta (cleanliness).
The way things are happening in India it seems India is in the making of Pakistan.
Everyday a dog dies of human cruelty. Everyday a caregiver is beaten up for feeding dogs.
Animal welfare laws are only in books because the police takes no action and the corporation takes no action.
And the ministers and chief ministers are absolutely tight lipped on this issue.
Prime Minister of India it's time now for you to take the lead and speak to the people of India to treat the man's best friend in a humane manner. Not to kill him but to embrace him as a family member.