Debate in India after Saamna editorial on animal welfare vs human needs
An editorial in Saamna, the official newspaper of the Shiv Sena (UBT) party, has stirred debate in India by criticizing what it described as “excessive compassion” for animals, particularly pigeons and stray dogs, while millions of Indians continue to face hunger, poverty and disease, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The article, titled “Pigeons, Stray Dogs, and Humans,” questioned public priorities. It stated that people are dying from hunger, illness and debt, some even taking their own lives, yet compassion often flows more toward pigeons, stray dogs and cats.
According to the Anadolu Agency, the editorial was published shortly after the Supreme Court issued new directions on stray dogs. Earlier this week the court ordered all stray dogs in Delhi to be relocated from residential areas to designated shelters. The Delhi government and civic authorities must complete this process within eight weeks, build new shelters, and maintain daily records of captured animals. The court also warned of legal action against activists who attempt to obstruct the relocation.
India’s 2012 Livestock Census recorded nearly 60,000 stray dogs in Delhi, although current estimates suggest the figure is far higher. Packs of dogs are common in parks and neighborhoods. The World Health Organization warns that India accounts for 36 percent of global rabies deaths, which is more than 18,000 fatalities each year, most of them involving children under 15. Dog-mediated rabies remains a major public health crisis, especially in poor rural communities.
In Mumbai, disputes also continue over pigeon feeding. Despite repeated High Court and Supreme Court rulings restricting feeding at kabutarkhanas, special pigeon-feeding sites rooted in the city’s religious and cultural traditions, activists continue to resist municipal enforcement. Doctors, including pulmonologist Dr. Sujit Rajan, have submitted affidavits warning that long-term exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers can cause serious respiratory illnesses, particularly in children and the elderly.
The controversy reflects a broader conflict in India’s cities, where rapid population growth, insufficient sterilization programs and religious traditions continue to fuel disputes about how to balance compassion for animals with urgent human needs.
Earlier, it was reported that the Kazakh Tazy, an ancient sighthound once cherished by nomads, is gaining international recognition as a national symbol.
