A month into BBMP’s feeding plan, few stray dogs continue to stay feisty

Bengaluru: A month into the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's pilot feeding programme for stray dogs, around 650 dogs are being fed daily across 137 feeding points in Bengaluru.

The initiative, aimed at fostering bite-free neighbourhoods and promoting coexistence, has seen mixed results in its early stages.

While some progress has been reported, residents' welfare associations continue to observe instances of aggressive behaviour among stray dogs. Animal welfare NGOs collaborating on the project insisted that a month is too short for significant behavioural changes.

The programme, launched in October to coincide with Kukur Tihar — a festival honouring dogs — addresses the city’s 2.7 lakh stray dog population.

BBMP Special Commissioner (Health and Animal Husbandry) Vikas Suralkar Kishor described it as a step toward reducing dog bites and improving human-animal relationships.

Feeding strategy

Sadhana Hegde, founder of Sahavarthin Animal Welfare Trust, explained efforts to refine the feeding process.

"We are shuffling feeding points and adjusting feeding times in areas where dogs are not coming regularly," she said.

Pourakarmikas, supported by hotels, caretakers, and NGOs are responsible for the feeding. 

Adinarayana, a pourakarmika in Benniganahalli, feeds about 10 dogs daily before 11 am. "The dogs are fed rice, curd rice, and occasionally biryani," he noted, adding that the area has seen no instances of dog-related menace since the programme began.

Resident concerns

However, some residents have raised concerns. 

Sunil Thomas, a Horamavu resident, observed that garbage blackspots remain an issue. "Even if the dogs are fed, they still scavenge waste in garbage dumps, undermining the purpose of the programme," he said.

In OMBR Layout, residents report that aggressive dog behaviour persists, especially during early morning jogs or while riding motorcycles.

Hegde acknowledged these challenges and shared plans to adjust the feeding schedule.

"We are considering feeding the dogs before 10 am to reduce crowd interactions, which might help ease aggression over time," she said.

While the programme is still in its infancy, stakeholders believe it requires more time and adjustments to achieve its goals of fostering a safer and more harmonious relationship between humans and strays.