Almost everywhere in the world, stray dogs lead a life of misery and are considered a nuisance. They are particularly a problem in big cities where they often pose a danger to the public and might even carry diseases.<\/p>\n
However, a community in the city of Chennai, India, has just proved that if treated with love and kindness, even the strays can turn into the best of friends.<\/p>\n
The relationship between the residents of the Agathiyar Nagar in Villivakkam, Chennai, and the stray dogs began\u00a0about three years ago when a dog wandered into the locality. Instead of driving the dog away or simply letting it be, Meena Vasudevan, a resident of the locality, started feeding it.<\/p>\n
Slowly, the pack grew and today there are five to six dogs in the locality.\u00a0When Vasudevan and other residents started taking care of them, he dogs developed a bond and a sense of belonging with these humans and are now protective of them.<\/p>\n
B Vasudevan, another resident of the locality says, \u201cMany bike parts were stolen in the dead of night. Some men would also consume alcohol in front of our homes, and it was a nuisance. All these issues have stopped since we adopted the strays. We feel a lot safer. And the dogs are extremely friendly, they haven\u2019t harmed anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n