Kerala or Karnataka, be kind to the strays!

population of stray dogs through birth control options, which are now widely available. On Sunday evening, a crowd of animal lovers and activists gathered together at Town Hall in Bengaluru for the Boycott Kerala movement. The protest took its roots here in Bengaluru, led by Jen Leon Lopaz, a long-time animal welfare activist. They began their online campaign with #boycottkerala, which vent viral on social media. The campaign spread like wildfire and very soon, animal welfare activists in Berlin, Italy, Chicago, parts of the UK and Boston protested at the same time as Bengaluru, against the culling of dogs in Kerala.

“Our fight began back in 2006 and ’07, when Bengaluru began culling dogs. It turned out that the killers were actually being brought in from Kerala," said Jen, who has worked for animal welfare for the last 23 years. "We put a lot of pressure on the Kerala government then, through PILs and petitions. Even the Animal Welfare Board sent them a written notice. Chief Minister Oomen Chandy was forced to respond. But even though they promised to set up ABCs and bring in more vets, they said aggressive and rabid dogs will be culled."

Every dog that bites is not rabid then what's the point of killing a 100 dogs because one attacks a human being, argued Jen. “Of course, none of this made any difference, so we started the #boycottkeralatourism,” she explained. Unfortunately, the campaign took an ugly turn, when those who defended the mass culling activity made it an anti-Kerala issue. “They made it seem like we hated Kerala and the people, which is untrue and unfair. They also said things like another 100 dogs will die with each protest,” explained Jen.

For over two decades, Jen, a lawyer by qualification, has fought for the rights of animals. "Dogs, cats and even pigs have been declared sentient beings, who feel pain in the same way as human beings," said Jen. “This sort of killing is unbearable.” She has created awareness at every step and even ensured that all the dogs in the Bannerghatta area were properly spayed and neutered.

“I tell people how to feed strays – if they put out food at the same time every day for a week, the dogs will return. That’s the proven method,” she said. “Bengaluru is very well sensitised, there are a lot of regular feeders in the city. When the dogs are well fed and neutered, they don’t need to scavenge. They become very docile.” The Animal Welfare Board, of which Jen is now a part, even gives out feeder cards to regular feeders. Rules are laid out, including never feeding congregations of dogs and cleaning up afterward. “They make the corporators in their area aware of what they do. Also, if there is animosity toward the feeders from other people, they can use their cards to show that they have been authorised by the government of Karnataka,” said Jen. Designated feeding areas also exist in different parts of the city, she said.

While the multiplication of strays can pose a problem, many humane ways of controlling the population have been devised. In 2000, the World Health Organisation prescribed birth control, which became very successful across the world. “We have many strays because pets are often abandoned by their owners and dogs that are ill-treated at home run away. If a dog is properly neutered, then they lose their aggression. There are also vaccinations to prevent rabies,” said Jen.

As an activist, Jen takes it upon herself to spread awareness about animal welfare laws and to catch those who flout them. “For instance, animal sacrifice is a big problem everywhere – this is done in temples – and it’s illegal,” explained Jen. “We have stopped it from happening in many temples and we put up boards outside such temples, saying that animal sacrifices are not performed there."

The attitude of the police has also seen a drastic change, said Jen. A decade ago, abusing a street dog would have been laughed off in a police station. “Today, they take us seriously. Recently, a feeder was badly harassed by his neighbours and the cops took immediate action. If we ever approach them with animal abuse complaints, they bring their Hoysalas to the spot immediately. It’s very heartening to see,” said Jen.

That apart, the Animal Welfare Board works closely with the BBMP. “A proposal has been sent in to reopen all defunct animal hospitals and clinics across the state,” said Jen. “We have also now got an incinerator for larger carcasses.” It’s a long, difficult battle to fight, but Jen is full of optimism. “Change is always met with resistance, but on my part, I ensure that every person, even those who are against the work I do, is treated only with compassion and kindness.”