Lesson in empathy: Bengal govt asks schools to feed stray dogs outside campuses, vaccinate them
Times of India | 23 June 2025
KOLKATA: Bengal's schools will now not only bring fresh, nutritious meals to the plates of students but also fill bellies of stray dogs around the school campuses. State has asked all govt and govt-aided schools to assign a staffer and feed the animals in the afternoon and also arrange for their vaccinations. This will give children a lesson in empathy and teach them to care for animals, the state believes.The order, issued by the Samagra Shiksha Mission last week, also said that district-level coordination should be established with offices of the animal resource development department for the pooches' sterilisation and vaccination.This comes after former Union minister Maneka Gandhi wrote to Bengal govt in April, suggesting initiatives in schools to foster a closer bond between humans and strays.A senior official of the school education department said: "Such practices are crucial in teaching students to care for stray animals. Many students tend to provoke dogs, which can lead to injuries for the kids or the animals. When children grow up seeing teachers and school staffers caring for strays, they become more sensitive toward animals. These practices will help them become better human beings."Many school heads welcomed the order, and some said their institutions had already taken steps towards this. Sarbari Sengupta, headmistress of Behala's Children Welfare Association High School for Girls, said: "Our teachers regularly care for stray dogs and cats outside campuses. We feed them and keep water for them during the summer months. We've posted various messages on boundary walls asking people not to hurt animals and to care for them, helping raise awareness."‘Implementing order within limited period a challenge’Some other school heads, however, expressed concerns about allocating a staffer to feed dogs daily, given the limited resources available. “A notice was issued recently about raising awareness regarding dog bites. Now this order focuses on helping students bond with stray dogs. While we can raise awareness, implementing this within a limited timeframe is challenging. If govt wants to pursue such initiatives, they should organise multiple workshops and programmes,” said headmaster of anorth Kolkata school.“While the approach is positive and such lessons should begin at the school level, overall infrastructure development is necessary to prevent the system from eventually collapsing,” said schoolteacher Animesh Haldar.While acknowledging the positivity of the govt initiative, Soumen Pal, headmaster of Nimta’s Udaypur Haradayal Nag Adarsha Vidyalaya, said: “Several students have a fear of dogs, and we must prioritise their safety.”