If you go to Kashmir Valley in India, you may be surprised to find male dogs sporting stud earrings. If you observe closely, you’ll see that the earring-wearing dogs have something in common: They’re usually strays, and they’re neutered.
Because the region’s enormous stray dog population is resulting in all sorts of problems, including frequent biting of humans, local government is devoting tremendous time, money, and effort into neutering the dogs. According to the Hindustan Times, dog-catchers are bringing in about 100 dogs per day to be neutered. That number will ramp up to 200 dogs per day within a few weeks.
That’s a lot of puppy prevention. (And a lot of surgeries. I hope they’re given proper treatment and enough time for recovery before being sent back out to the streets.)
It’s also a lot of earrings: Every dog who gets the surgery will be marked by an ear piercing with a stud through it.
OK, is it just me, or does that seem a bit redundant? I mean, you don’t need to see an earring to know a dog has been neutered. All you have to do is take a quick peek at the other end of the dog, right? It’s an odd trade-off — studhood for stud earrings — but if it works, that’s what counts.
