Gurgaon loves its dogs. And not just the fancy breeds , but the strays and Indies too. Gurugrammars love feeding them, taking care of them and just having them around in general. However, it is not true of all the city residents. Some consider stray dogs a menace and threat to their safety and believe that those who enable dogs to stay in residential societies are putting others at risk. So fights between them and the dog lovers are all too common, with even death threats and police complaints flying around. Only recently, residents of a society in the Millennium City took out a protest march against those who feed stray dogs. On the other hand, dog lovers regularly allege harassment at the hands of the other side. We decode for you Gurgaon’s heated politics of stray dog-feeding.Dog lovers say that the animals in societies cannot be called strays. “They are actually community dogs and it is our duty to take care of them and feed them,” says Sonia Walia, a resident of Ridgewood Estate in DLF Phase IV. Dog lovers don’t just feed these dogs but often get them vaccinated and treated by the vet as well. Some residents, however, oppose this on the grounds that stray dogs have been often found to attack residents – particularly kids, and hence, pose a threat to their safety. Anita Arora, a Sector 56 resident, argues, “There have been several cases of stray dogs growling at kids or attacking them while they play. Sometimes, they even bite passers-by. We want these dogs to be gone because their staying here is unsafe for us and our families. We understand the dog lovers’ sentiments but the dogs well-being should not be above ours.”But if you thought these fights were just some minor neighbourhood tiffs, you are in for a big surprise. There have been brawls, fistfights, and even the odd police complaints surrounding fights pertaining to stray dog feeding. Anchal Kapoor, a resident of Nirvana Country, recalls, “Twice last year, I was harassed and threatened by people in my neighbourhood over feeding the stray dogs near my house. I have had multiple stand-offs and altercation with my neighbours over this. They allege that the dogs I feed cause nuisance for others when in reality, they are very docile creatures. In November, a crowd of people converged outside my house late at night after one such fight and I had to call the cops because it got so ugly. Eventually, I filed a police complaint against unknown persons for harassment and for threatening to cause bodily harm .” Those who feed dogs say they try and avoid regular confrontations as a result. Sonia Walia adds, “I have begun to feed the dogs in my locality at midnight so that nobody sees me and hence, nobody opposes me. When I used to do it during the day, there was always a scene with someone yelling at me.”Last month, a poster-making competition about the dangers posed by stray dogs was also organised for kids at DLF Phase IVProtests have been held by both parties asking the authorities to look into their demands. While dog lovers have often resorted to involve organisations like People for Animals and even the Gurgaon Police to ensure the strays are not harmed, other residents have organised their own protests against what they call the “stray dog menace”. Last month, some residents in DLF Phase IV even organised a poster-making competition for kids where children were encouraged to draw about the dangers posed by stray dogs. Several residents also held a Gandhigiri March to show solidarity against the stray dog menace. Gurpreet Singh, who participated in the vigil, says, “These dogs are feral, and attack passers-by without provocation. Most of these dogs were not born in the society but were brought by some residents who continue to feed them. It contravenes the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which states removing an animal from its natural habitat is cruelty.” However, those who feed these stray dogs refute these claims. “The dogs were all born here and have been living here for years. The RWA people simply want to sanitise the area by removing these dogs, which they consider eyesores,” says a dog lover from the society.Dog lovers don’t just feed these dogs but often get them vaccinated and treated by the vetBut there are parts of the Millennium City where the dog lovers and other residents live in almost perfect harmony. Deepshikha Modi, a homemaker from Greenwood Estate in Sector 45, says, “I have been feeding about a dozen strays in my society for eight-10 years now and there has been no serious opposition ever. Of course, people always ask me why I do this and why can’t I simply send the dogs away. But by and large, it is better here as compared to some other parts of town. People realise that if the dogs don’t bite or harm anyone, there is no harm feeding them.”

Stay updated with all the Latest Gurgaon headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.