India's streets are home to millions of stray dogs. The majority are descended directly from their wild dog forebears, a "breed" that predates all AKC (American Kennel Club) breeds by a wide margin. More and more street dogs are being abandoned as pets or have bred with pet breeds due to the recent rise in popularity of full breed dogs among Indians. Despite the fact that some of them are rabies carriers, India's street canines are generally not hostile and will only bite if provoked. Many dogs do, in fact, have a dread of people, and tragically, their fears are justified. The number of street dogs in India is directly related to the standard of – or lack thereof – municipal sanitation. Since these homeless canines frequently rely on scavenging trash to survive, more exposed trash equals healthier dogs.
Around six in the morning, the sweepers kick and chase me off, starting my day. Occasionally, I get stones hurled at me or have a stick inserted into my skeletal body to serve as a reminder that day is approaching. I give myself a shake, emerge from my dreamy night, and start looking for tidbits. Usually, I'm able to find some rotis, some old bread, and, if I'm lucky, some bones from mutton or half an eaten bird. However, I have to contend with numerous other neighboring dogs, so it never comes easily. I have frequently been bitten and injured when trying to get a bite, but that is the reality for us street dogs, my friend. We must seize before.
The hardest and most trying moments come during the winter, when we have to huddle close to one another in order to stay warm while our better-positioned siblings and sisters are inside warm rooms, eating well, and have a warm bed and blanket. Or during the summer, when we have to search for water and frequently sip from unclean drains or the sidewalks in front of hotels and restaurants. We have to hide under automobiles to escape the heat and rain, and frequently we get crushed beneath the same car that protects us. While our affluent friends up there enjoy air-conditioned hotels or go for walks while wearing stylish collars and leashes in their cars.
Street dogs are unrestrained canines that reside in cities; in scientific literature, they are referred to as free-ranging urban dogs. They reside almost anywhere that there are cities and a sufficient number of people, particularly in emerging nations. Street dogs can be feral animals who have never been owned, stray dogs, or pets that have gotten away from or been abandoned by their owners. Purebred stray dogs, real mixed-breed dogs, or unbred landraces like the Indian pariah dog can all be considered street dogs. Spaying and neutering campaigns are sometimes carried out because an excessive number of street dogs might provide issues for the society in which they reside. They typically have different skill sets, socialization, and ecological implications from rural free-ranging canines.
