A rare hound with a storied past faces an uncertain future in Bangladesh
Dogs are generally not treated well in Bangladesh, where the majority Muslim population holds a conservative approach to domesticating dogs. Here, kicking a resting or passing stray dog is often seen as amusing. This hostile attitude, for decades, justified the authorities culling stray dogs. In 2019, the passing of the Animal Welfare Act finally put […]
Dogs in Bangladesh are generally treated poorly, with the majority Muslim population holding conservative views on keeping domesticated dogs. Kicking a stray dog is often considered amusing, leading authorities to cull stray dogs for decades. The Animal Welfare Act of 2019 halted this practice, yet a negative prejudice against dogs still exists. One example is a woman from Ishwardi who drowned puppies in a pond after being disturbed by stray dogs, resulting in a criminal lawsuit against her.
Bangladesh is home to nearly 1.7 million dogs, 83% of which are strays, suffering from hunger, malnutrition, injury, or cruelty. A group of animal lovers in Sarail, a town about 60 miles northeast of Dhaka, is working to protect stray animals. The Sarail hound, a native breed named after the town, has been preserved for generations due to the locals' pride in this heritage. Some people from abroad pay up to 60,000 takas ($500) for a puppy from Sarail, hoping to save this rare breed from extinction.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
