Stray Dogs, Tragedy, Call for Change

Poised between big bungalows and bustling streets, there stood a small shop owned by a humble man who sold day-to-day essentials. A kind and simple person, the shopkeeper was the only breadwinner for his family, which consisted of his wife and an eight-year-old son, a bright child full of curiosity and bliss.

The family’s world came crashing down last year when their young son suddenly developed weakness on one side of his body. Panic and confusion swept through the household. It was a menacing sign, something they couldn’t comprehend. After hurried trips to doctors and hospitals, they received the shocking news—there was a lump in the boy’s brain. Yet, in the thick of their fear, there was a glimmer of hope. The tumour was curable. However, the road ahead was long and difficult.

For a family already living reasonably, the news was shattering. Seeking treatment, the shopkeeper had to shut down his shop to accompany his son from one hospital to another. The business, which had once been their lifeline, was closed indefinitely now. Their fragile financial condition began to crumble under the weight of medical bills, travel expenses and uncertainty. The strain on the family was enormous, but the father never wavered. His love for his son pushed him forward, despite the toll it was taking on him. The situation took an ugly turn when the family was told they needed to take their son to Chandigarh for specialized treatment. This was an additional burden, and the father, though devastated, knew there was no choice. It was a matter of life and death. He borrowed money from friends and well-wishers, pulling together whatever he could to fund the trip.

The month in Chandigarh was gruelling. Their son was placed on medication and closely monitored by specialists. The doctors advised the family to take every precaution to protect the boy’s head from any further trauma, especially after they revealed that years ago, at the age of four, their son had been chased by a pack of stray dogs and had hit his head on the gate of their home while fleeing. Finally, the family returned, both relieved and exhausted. The boy was showing signs of recovery, and they clung to this hope as they tried to rebuild their lives. The father reopened his shop and worked tirelessly to repay the debts he had incurred. It seemed as if the worst was behind them. Their son’s laughter began to return, and the family found small moments of joy in their otherwise challenging lives.

But happiness, it seems, can be fleeting.

A few days back, the boy was walking home from school when a familiar and terrifying event occurred—he was again chased by a stray dog! Panicked and desperate to escape, the child ran frantically in fear. He stumbled and hit his head on a pavement, crashing to the ground. What followed was a nightmare—the boy developed severe headaches and began vomiting uncontrollably. The father, once again shattered, rushed him to the local doctor, who immediately referred the child to hospital for emergency treatment.

For this family, it seemed that fate was cruel. Nonetheless, beneath their personal tragedy lay a deeper issue that affects all of us: the menace of stray dogs. The father, though grief-stricken, didn’t blame anyone for his son’s condition. He knew the stray dogs in the neighbourhood were not because of neglect but largely due to collective actions of the people.

In neighbourhoods’ like ours, the growing stray dog population is often fuelled by the carelessness of residents. Garbage is strewn across roadsides, attracting dogs that scavenge for food. Leftover food, plastic bags and waste are thrown haphazardly at every corner, drawing in packs of strays who have learned that streets offer easy meals. The shopkeeper’s tragic story is a wake-up call for all of us. The menace of stray dogs is not solely an administrative issue; it’s a community problem. While authorities have a role in controlling stray populations through sterilization programs and shelters, it is we, the people, who contribute to the problem when we fail to manage our waste responsibly.

As the shopkeeper’s family battles this crisis once more, let us not forget that we are all interconnected. One family’s pain could easily become another’s if we continue to ignore the larger issue. Their story is a plea—not just for help, but for awareness and change.