German earns locals’ wrath for taking care of stray dogs

New Delhi: Feeding and caring for stray dogs can earn you the wrath of your neighbours in the national capital. Sita Garg (54), a female ornithologist who hails from Germany and resides in Sainik Farms, has been facing constant harassment for taking care of stray dogs. She has alleged that local residents pass derogatory remarks at her for her love towards stray dogs. She is frequently forced to change her house and is now looking for a permanent accommodation.

An accountant by profession, Ms Garg teaches German for livelihood and to take care of the dogs. At her house, she takes care of around 15 dogs.

Ms Garg, who came to India in 2011, had worked for nearly 26 years in Berlin. But one day, she decided to quit her job and explore India. “My father is an Indian-German scientist and after retirement, he runs a business there. During the initial day, I received his support. I started my own setup to earn a livelihood. Now, I teach German and transcriber for some websites,” said Ms Garg.

She said she has a lot of concerns for stray dogs. The vulnerable conditions in which the stray dogs live taught her lots of things about them. “I got a pet-friendly environment at home ever since I was born. I discovered my love and attraction for pets in my childhood days,” said Ms Garg. Her mother runs a non-profit body in Germany for animal care.

She said she has limited income, but spends Rs 40,000-50,000 to provide for the dogs. “It shows the hypocrisy of the locals who are ready to shell out a lot of money to buy cute and expensive breeds. When it comes to the stray dogs, they not only neglect them but also look down upon the animal lovers who feed them,” said Ms Garg.