Delhi’s streets are not just crowded with vehicles and people; they are also home to a vast population of stray dogs that have long been part of the city’s landscape. For some, these animals are companions in need of care, for others they are a source of daily anxiety. Recent legal interventions have sharpened this divide, leaving residents caught between compassion and fear. Feeding community dogs has always been a quiet act of kindness. From tea stalls that leave out scraps to residents who carry food in their bags, such gestures have ensured survival for countless strays.

Caregivers often go beyond feeding; they help identify dogs for vaccination and sterilisation, ensuring that programmes to control numbers are implemented effectively. In many neighbourhoods, these individuals are the bridge between civic authorities and the dogs themselves. Yet the growing number of reported dog bites has changed the tenor of the conversation. Families........

© The Statesman