In a stirring Scroll essay, Khinvraj Jangid recalls his mother’s quiet acts of compassion in her Rajasthan village — she always saved the first roti she made for stray dogs, even before feeding her own children. This simple tradition shows a deep-rooted empathy that transcends legal debates about wandering canines. In many rural areas, people don’t own pets but still care for “ownerless” animals through everyday acts, like leaving milk or rotis for dogs or ants.

Jangid contrasts this with recent controversies: on campuses, in urban public spaces, and in courts — many Indians now question whether street dogs belong at all. He points out how some communities have become polarized, with fear and regulation gaining ground over coexistence. Even Mahatma Gandhi weighed in nearly a century ago, arguing both for compassion and for responsibility.

Ultimately, Jangid argues, change won’t come from court orders alone. Rather, lasting solutions will emerge from community empathy — like a mother’s roti — long before legal judgments.