Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will celebrate the ‘Kukur Tihar’ festival, known as the Festival of Dogs, on October 17. The event aims to appreciate the presence and contributions of dogs in the ecosystem. The festival will also promote awareness about their protective roles in society.
According to a TOI report, BBMP's Animal Husbandry Department is partnering with the Sahavardhin Animal Welfare Trust and other entities to roll out various initiatives under the banner of #BITEFREELOCALITY. These initiatives aim to create "coexistence champions" who will work towards building a humane environment for animals.
Suralkar Vikas Kishore, Special Commissioner for Welfare, BBMP, said, "While dogs are often viewed with fear due to concerns over bites and attacks, the festival will spotlight their loyalty, obedience, protectiveness, and companionship. The initiative seeks to change the narrative by celebrating the positive roles dogs play in society, encouraging residents to share their heartwarming stories and experiences with street dogs," as quoted by TOI.
He added that they reached out to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and animal caretakers across the city to come together and depict the bonds they share with community dogs. He also mentioned that this initiative is a step toward fostering better human-animal relations.
The TOI report also mentioned that the BBMP will initiate a pilot project on the same day, listing pourakarmikas from four wards to help in feeding community dogs. The pourakarmikas will coordinate with local restaurants to ensure that leftover food is distributed to street dogs. The BBMP's plan also aims to expand this effort, connecting restaurants with more caretakers to guarantee consistent feeding.
Residents interested in participating in these initiatives as volunteers can register by scanning a QR code provided by BBMP. Registrations are open until October 15, the TOI report added.