A few weeks ago, a blind puppy was seen at a park in Sadashiv Nagar, where she was abandoned with her siblings. Zoha Bin Jung, an equestrian and member of CJ Memorial Trust’s (CJMT) Hennur Canine Squad, fell in love with her and took her home. Now named Bailey, the pup lives happily with two tripod cats, a tripod dog, and an old blind cocker spaniel who was found sick on the streets. “I have only gratitude for such individuals. Zoha went on to adopt another blind husky from the squads to give Bailey company,” says Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, trustee, CJMT.
A child with its pet dog at PET-A-THON to create awareness on animal rights at Cubbon Park in 2022
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
The non-profit has been working towards protecting community dogs through initiatives such as canine squads, advocacy for animal protection laws, and community programmes, to name a few, and Luna’s case is a win at a time when street dogs have been under the radar.
The CJ Memorial Trust organized models to take part in the celebration of “Santa Bow Wow-2019” a dog festival at Cubbon Park in 2019
| Photo Credit:
SREENIVASA MURTHY V
If you would like to do more for the streeties around you, there is a lot you can do aside from adoption. “Nobody has homes to take all the dogs that we love on the street. I wish we had, but we don’t. And many dogs are completely happy on the street. Adoption is ideal, but given the population, the scale is an issue. CJMT has launched not only #Indieproud and #IndieDogDay www.indiedogday, but also the Million Indies Homes Project, which is being supported by the government.”
At the CJ Memorial Trust Dog Park
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Priya shares examples that demonstrate how the public can create better connections between people and dogs. “There are over 60 CJMT squads all over Bengaluru with almost 5,000 people ensuring that their hyperlocal squads are focussed on neutering and vaccination,” she says. There are also feeding and care initiatives to make sure the dogs are friendly, accessible and responsive to humans.
A snapshot from the Cubbon Dog Park in 2015
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K
At the Cubbon Dog Park that the Trust runs, while it is all fun and socialisation, Priya says, important messages are passed on to visitors such as #adopdontshop, neuter your pet, how to recognise a sterivaxed dog, etc”.
“You’d be surprised how many people don’t know about telltale ear notch that confirms that status. We cover how to interact with community dogs, keeping your kids safe by recognising the ones that are steadily vaxed, calling up Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to ensure that your community dogs are picked up for sterivax.”
This makes them not only more comfortable but also informed and empowered to do more in their own community, explains Priya, who says they also promote #IndieProud that have enabled up to 500 adoptions in the dog park.
“The VIP treatment that Indie dogs and pets receive helps people understand how much we value that, and then allows them to be kind to the community dogs around their own homes. We also emphasise on making them wear tags so that dogs have a name and number in case they get lost.” People are encouraged to join their local squad, so they can be of help as and when required.
At the CJ Memorial Trust Dog Park
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Educating people who are indifferent or scared of streeties is another touch point at CJMT. “Very few people are scared of puppies, so that’s a great way to start and we particularly focus on that with children with an event that we run every year called Santa Bow Wow that is specifically focussed on dogs and children. So, catching them early and getting their parents involved, make a huge difference in long-term community involvement,” says Priya, who adds that cats are also part of the problem if you are looking at rabies, so it is important “for all of us to ensure that our cats are neutered and vaccinated too. Otherwise, they multiply very, very fast and kittens die horrible deaths”.
A participant of the Puppy Adoption Camp at Cubbon Park in Bangalore in 2011
| Photo Credit:
SREENIVASA MURTHY V
The Cubbon Park squad also has many ways you can be a part of the movement, aside from rescuing or adopting. “You can start small by making a call to BBMP for a neuter, maybe fostering a dog, contributing towards an injured dog’s hospital bills, etc. But most often we are encouraging people to be aware of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, that prohibit the relocation and culling of stray dogs, and help them realise that they have to coexist with these animals,” says Priya, who also suggests people neuter and vaccinate their street animals.
“This is non-negotiable if you care for your street animals and care for your humans in the community. Our squads are doing this, and you can work with them to ensure that these dogs are safely picked up, operated on, vaccinated, and put back on the street.”
Get in touch with the team on cjmemorialtrust.org/
Published – September 16, 2025 10:20 am IST