Mumbai, Nov 29: Mumbai witnessed a heartfelt and deeply emotional scene on Saturday as more than 200 people walked in silence from Versova to Yari Road, standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves - India’s street dogs.
Organised by the Pasujeeva Foundation, the peaceful march had no political colours, no religious symbols - just citizens united by compassion. Their only message to the Supreme Court, "Please review the order affecting community dogs; it is hurting beings who depend on us to survive."
What made the march even more striking was the presence of TV celebrities walking quietly among ordinary citizens, holding placards, comforting volunteers and showing that love for animals cuts across all boundaries.
A March Filled With Symbols, Emotion and Urgency
At the front of the march was a mascot of a dog walking beside a symbolic coffin carrying a soft toy dog. On the coffin were written three letters that shook many participants, "RIP."
Organisers explained the meaning behind it and said, “If community dogs are removed from their territories, they won’t survive. There are hardly any proper shelters in India, and the few that exist struggle with infrastructure, care and extremely high death rates.”
Several marchers were seen in tears as they walked, many sharing stories of the dogs they feed, protect and consider a part of their daily life. “The Court’s Order Feels Unfair. Dogs Are Not the Problem. We Are.”
Pasujeeva Foundation said the Supreme Court order appeared to be based on incomplete information and viral social media posts showing selective dog-bite clips. “The order is not well-reviewed. It feels biased and doesn’t consider the full reality,” the foundation said.
They reminded that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life to all beings and Article 51A(g) makes compassion towards animals a fundamental duty of every citizen.
Fear for the Future: ‘First pigeons, now dogs… what’s next?’
Many participants expressed anxiety that targetting animals would disturb the ecological balance. They highlighted how cities like Surat and countries like France saw plague outbreaks after mass killing of dogs.
“We haven’t learned from history,” one animal lover said softly. “Dogs are part of our ecosystem. Removing them never ends well - not for them, not for us.”
Another marcher added something that struck many. The marcher said, "Today, a woman feels safer seeing a street dog at night than seeing a strange man on an empty road."
Bigger Problems Being Ignored
Some attendees felt the issue was unnecessarily amplified when India is facing larger crises. “Why are we discussing dog bites when we should be solving air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, climate change and illegal land encroachment?” a participant asked. “It feels like a distraction.”
A Simple, Heartfelt Request
The march ended with a quiet appeal - no slogans, no anger, just hope. “We request the Supreme Court to please review the order,” Pasujeeva Foundation said. “Let the dogs stay where they belong. Enforce the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules strictly - sterilise them, vaccinate them, protect them. That is the responsibility of the State. Compassion is the only way forward.”
As the crowd began to disperse, many hugged their fellow marchers, some wiped their eyes and others walked back home to feed the very dogs they had marched for, hoping that their voice will be heard where it matters the most.
