Amid the world’s strictest lockdown, people who feed stray dogs are now deemed essential
Millions of India's street animals—including monkeys and cows—are going hungry, but Good Samaritans are venturing outside during the pandemic to feed them.
Another day, another 500 mouths for Sanjukta Lal to feed.
Each day, Lal prepares chicken and rice for scores of street dogs. Then she ventures out, during a nationwide stay-at-home order, to drop off the meals at various places around the southern Indian city of Puducherry.
Lal is one of the animal lovers looking after India’s 35 million free-roaming dogs, many of which can’t find food during the world's largest lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19. With shops and restaurants shuttered from March 25 until at least May 18, the canines’ main source of sustenance—garbage scraps—is gone.
Anticipating this problem, the Animal Welfare Board of India issued a letter two days before restrictions went into effect, declared
