Community-dog collars and tags for the "festive" season

At the Stray Buddy office last week, helping to put together dog-collars and QR tags in preparation for what will be another prolonged firecracker season (starting much, much before the two official days of Diwali). For those of us involved with terrified community dogs, and aware of the stakes and the many tragedies that unfold every year, this collar-tagging can feel like war preparation - and I’m not being flippant or casual in my use of words. (It’s a great pity that some generally sensitive, well-intentioned people I know, agonised over the atrocities directed at humans in many contexts across the world, refuse to extend such consideration towards traumatised and badly disoriented animals with hyper-sensitive ears.) 

The dread that I feel evening after evening at this time of year now is often debilitating, and keeps me from being able to focus on many other things that need my attention. After many sleepless nights during “festive” time last year, and the search for the very nervous Pandey, whom I eventually found 7-8 km from Saket a week after he vanished (two posts about that here and here), I’m taking precautions as early as possible. The collars for my building dogs have my phone number as well as a code that opens the Stray Buddy profile for each animal. But to any community-animal-carers: at the very least, tape a firm and durable strip of paper to each collar, with your details clearly printed on it.



And thanks again to Shambhavi and Vriti for being such wonderful guides during the collar-preparing…