In a significant move, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has formally written to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), raising strong objections to a proposal advocating for the lifetime confinement of stray dogs. The animal rights organisation has flagged this as a cruel and ineffective solution to human-animal conflicts.
PETA's Stance on the Stray Dog Proposal
PETA India's communication to the PMO, dated 3 January 2026, argues that permanently confining community dogs fails on both ethical and practical grounds. The group contends that such a measure would inflict immense psychological suffering on these animals, who are accustomed to free movement. Instead, PETA advocates for the widely recognised and humane approach of Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes coupled with anti-rabies vaccination. They emphasise that ABC, which involves sterilising and vaccinating dogs before returning them to their territories, is the only scientifically proven method to manage stray dog populations humanely and curb the spread of rabies in the long term.
Connecting the Crisis: Stray Cattle and Dairy Abandonment
In its letter, PETA India also drew a direct parallel to the ongoing stray cattle menace in many Indian states, arguing that confinement is a flawed policy that ignores the root cause of the problem. The organisation pointed a finger at the dairy industry, stating that "confinement fails to address abandonment by dairies." They detailed a cycle of exploitation where male calves are often abandoned at birth as they are considered economically unviable, and female cattle are frequently discarded once their milk yields decline.
This systematic abandonment by the dairy sector, PETA argues, is the primary source of the stray cattle population. Confining these animals in shelters without addressing the source is like putting a bandage on a wound that requires surgery—it is unsustainable and does not prevent new animals from entering the streets.
The Broader Implications and Call for Action
The dual focus of PETA India's appeal highlights a common thread in India's animal welfare challenges: the failure to tackle institutionalised abandonment. By linking the proposed policy for dogs with the evident failure in managing stray cattle, the organisation is urging the government to adopt holistic, prevention-first policies.
Their submission to the PMO calls for:
- Rejection of lifetime confinement for stray dogs in favour of robust ABC programmes.
- Stringent enforcement of laws against cattle abandonment and regulation of the dairy industry.
- Development of policies that target the source of animal overpopulation and straying, rather than just managing the symptoms through incarceration.
The ball is now in the court of the policymakers. Whether this intervention from a leading animal rights body will steer the national conversation towards more compassionate and sustainable solutions remains to be seen.
