This is Part II of a multipart photo feature on Srinagar, Kashmir’s dogs which gives an insight into where and how they really live.
Kashmir has the tradition of ‘Kashmiriyat’. An etiquette and manner and tolerance uniquely Kashmiri. But Kashmir also has the ‘tradition’ of killing dogs by poisoning them every summer. Much the same way they are in Kerala. To keep the streets relatively free for the ‘tourist’. Issues related to stray dogs in Kashmir, and related to stray dogs in Kerala have been reflected on these pages many a time. The reports that come from Kashmir will make you believe that Srinagar, and the rest of Kashmir is overrun by large dog moving around in packs that attack humans on sight. Dogs so aggressive and ferocious humans cringe away and walk in fear – always giving them a wide berth. This, coupled with the fact that there are hardly any accounts available on the dogs themselves in the valley. This summer, Prof Sonya Ghosh went to Kashmir just to be able to see and observe Srinagar’s dogs! These are her pictures.
The Wangnoo home/area where all the dogs were shot dead after the child was attacked
In the pictures Prof Ghosh illustrates:
- Mostly the city has been cleared of dogs. In the daytime they are hardly visible.
- The 1st photo 1 is of Bhagwanpora where the Wangnoo child was bitten. There are simply no dogs there at all. Newspaper reports and people confirm that the Wangnoo’s shot all the dogs
- Over 400 dogs were poisoned at in the Rainawari area near the Malka graveyard about a month ago and the locals will confirm this.
- The tourist spots were cleared out earlier, shop keepers will confirm this.
- Not a single person protested against the poisoning.
- Dogs generally seem to be scared of humans and hide in the undergrowth either in the city or in graveyards (photos 2-5), compelled to drink out of dirty drains (last photo)
-
- A dog tries to get a drink from the sewage
-
- Dogs live in the undergrowth and come out only at night to eat the waste just thrown on the road from the chicken/meat stalls
-
- A lot of them prefer to live in cemetries since they afford protection and quite
-
- A lot of them prefer to live in cemetries since they afford protection and quite
-
- A lot of them prefer to live in cemetries since they afford protection and quite
-
- A lot of them prefer to live in cemetries since they afford protection and quite
-
- The Wangnoo home/area where all the dogs were shot dead after the child was attacked
