Bhumi Pednekar comes out in support of strays: Indian Pariah dog has walked alongside us for over 4,500 years

Mumbai, Aug 13
Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar, who was recently seen in the streaming series ‘The Royals’, has spoken up on the issue of dog confinement, and the recent directive of the apex Court.


On Wednesday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a series of pictures and videos of her pupper, Bruno and herself. She also penned a long note in the caption, detailing the journey of her furry friend, and how he walked into her life.

She wrote, “My Bruno baba came into our lives when he was just 4 months old. When the brilliant team at @yodamumbai found him, he was battered & badly hurt — jaw dislocated, tail burnt — yet his spirit was that of a warrior. All of this was done by little children who found joy in torturing an innocent soul. Not their fault — it’s ours, for failing to instil empathy, co existence and kindness with us. Bruno is a wise soul. He is intelligent, kind, playful, nurturing, protective yet gentle. The Honourable Supreme Court ruling that allows the picking up of 3,00,000 dogs in Delhi to be put into shelters, I can’t help but think of Bruno, and all the Indies who have known nothing but the streets they call home”.

The actress further mentioned that for decades, street dog feeders have been their champions, feeding them, caring for their wounds, getting them sterilised and vaccinated out of their own pockets. She argued that instead of criminalising their existence or punishing those who care, it’s better to create stronger reforms and systems, mass sterilisation drives.

She said that regular vaccination programs, community-led feeding and monitoring is the way to go forward.

She continued, “The Indian Pariah dog has walked alongside us for over 4,500 years. They are part of our cultural and spiritual heritage, mentioned in the Rig Veda, the Mahabharata, and the Upanishads. In our ancient scriptures, they stood for loyalty, dharma, spiritual companionship, and protection”.

“They still stand for the same today. Removing them en masse, stripping them of the only life they know, will not solve the root issues, it will only create more cruelty and displacement. May there be empathy. May there be peace. May justice prevail”, she added.