Though the faculty and students depend on each other for
research and professional advancement, there are only some common issues. For
example, a faculty is not unduly worried about the leaks in E-block while a
student is not concerned about the mode of operation of CPDA grants. However,
both are concerned about a major issue – dogs on campus. The issue of dog
menace finds a place on the agenda of both the faculty association as well as
the student council. Enumeration data based seems to indicate (with a 95%
confidence interval) a two fold increase in the population of dogs every year.
What has
led to the increase of dog population in IISc? The students have a theory that
since the quality of food in the private messes has gone to dogs (both
literally and figuratively), it has led to the robust health and increased
population of the dogs. The faculty have another opinion. Many senior faculty
complain that the young professors are not committed as they were twenty years
ago and say that IISc is going to dogs. The dogs took offense at this statement
and, therefore, they have come to IISc instead. Whatever be the real cause, the
dogs have significantly increased on campus.
I have been
chased or barked at frequently by these dogs. Previously, I used to throw the
bunch of research papers at them and they used to run away. While this is indeed a good use for my research papers
(my departmental colleagues may think that this is the only use), recently,
they have become more aggressive. This has led to people walking on campus with
ultrasonic tasers and lathis, much like the Delhi
There seems to be no easy solution. The city
administration is unwilling to pick up dogs while the NGOs can pick and neuter
them. With the dog lovers in the campus unwilling to agree to the latter, the
administrator is caught in a web with pressure from each side. My colleagues feel that the administration
will intensely look for a solution only when a “powerful” professor is bitten
by a dog. But for an institute wherein the undergraduates understand quarks (the
name of their magazine) and the graduate student voices (the name of their magazine) their opinion, I do
hope some solution is amicably found.
15 comments:
You do have an amazing sense of humour :)
"With the dog lovers in the campus unwilling to agree to the latter, the administrator is caught in a web with pressure from each side." I am a dog lover and an administrator. I think some of your dog lovers need to be educated that neutering may be actually in the better interest of the dogs. IITM also has a significant population of dogs and deer but we have a largely neutered dog population.
IISc has wonderfully tackled its dog problem, just like it has on its promise of laying footpaths along its major roads.........
.... OOOPs i just fell into the gutter along the main IISc Road :(
You have written humorously on a serious subject.
I wish to share with all of you, my real life experiences with dog attacks. Hope this helps.
1) Once, when I was in IITD, I was going from my lab to my hostel at around 1 am. On the main road, there were like 10-12 dogs (just lying there contemplating on..). I accidentally made some noise from my shoes, and that's it. All the dogs surrounded me and started barking like there was no tomorrow. I was so confused about what to do, I did what a human being (being an animal himself) would do. I started shouting on all them, louder than them. Within 5 section they were all gone. Unfortunately, depending on the dogs, this may not always work :(
2) This second approach is I think robust! This has worked for me almost all the time. The key is to talk to someone on mobile phone. Somehow a guy talking on a mobile phone looks less phony to dogs, and the dogs wait for the next guy. I know someday they will figure it out and we as humans have to come up with a new trick! Till then, millions of emotions will be saved!
Let me know if any of this works!
Great tips @person above. Some more tips I can think of. Never stare into the eyes of individual dogs, but still keep the dogs in your field of vision. In other words always look what they are up to. They can attack anytime.
However the best advice/age old remedy I think is to carry a wooden stick and use it for self defense.Even a pack of dogs will get instantly scared and will hesitate to attack if you threaten them with a stick when the dogs threaten you with barking.
Still one would need more tips to handle IISc dogs!!
The problem is felt greatly by the UG students going to their classes early in the morning (8:am ) so it means 7:30 for breakfast along the path which shelters max no of dogs. Also , its troublesome for lib lovers returning at 11 pm as lib closes. Plus, keeping in mind the poets and writers who like to have a walk at night in the campus. It definately calls for an action !
It is not just UG students. Prof. Giridhar also teaches everyday at 8 am and this forces students to come to his class at 8 am.
student council should hold protests
Fight the dog menace with dogged determination, or it will continue to dog you for ever.
On a related note, a friend of mine used to say this rather philosophically during his Ph.D. days -- Into this world we are thrown, like a dog without a bone.
Perhaps, someone needs to throw these dogs a bone or two, two calm them down.
Peace!
Desi Babu as good as ever!!
Here at IIT-Delhi, the dogs are not well read which is causing additional problems, for example, they are totally unaware of the saying "Barking dogs seldom bite".
Often, I have encountered them tying to do both.
At the same time, they are well aware of the administrative set-up, and so far not a single higher administration person has been attacked.
Actually , as per IISc rules , pedestrians are not allowed in the campus. Campus roads are meant only for speeding vehicles (like high speeding buses from sister organization , which ply non stop from D-gate to security gate at break neck speed pushing people to the ditch) and Dogs
On a serious note, this is not a menance just for the faculty and students. It also affects the family members, which includes kids, of the faculty residing on the campus. It is a serious issue, ihope some action would be taken by the director or the estate office to protect the kids on the campus.
@Prof Madras: Brilliantly written, always a pleasure to stop by :D
@The dog lovers: Love humans too maybe?
@Desi Babu: Well said! Those are lyrics BTW from a song by The Doors.
Imagine ur in iitb and returning late from the office...u see cat eyes in the bush...closer inspection reveals that its a spotted cat (yikes) , its threefold the size of the greatest Dane, and instead of mewing it grrrrrs.......dogs are capricious, more so when in a group, but worst ud get away with a bite , but at least ur guaranteed to get out alive!!!
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