The Cubbon Park Canines were the first squad to be formed in Bengaluru, followed by the Cunningham Canine Squad. Presently, there are 63 additional squads in the city. On World Animal Welfare Day, Bangalore Times shines a light on these numerous groups in the city whose members have devoted their lives to improving the lives of animals, especially those that are often neglected. These groups serve as a safety net for animals by acting as their advocates and caretakers. The founder of the city’s canine squads, Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, emphasizes the significance of these groups in providing support for voiceless animals. The main goal is to educate and empower people to care for animals effectively, particularly in situations involving abandoned or injured dogs. By sharing essential emergency contact numbers and knowledge on how to handle such situations, these groups seek to raise awareness and promote responsible animal care within the community.Lastly, the canine squads in Bengaluru work tirelessly to create local communities focused on the well-being and protection of animals. They prioritize important issues such as neutering and anti-rabies vaccination, promote community involvement in animal welfare, build a sense of community and trust, collaborate with various organizations, and share knowledge on best practices related to neutering, abuse prevention, rescue operations, and cruelty prevention. In response to the surge in abandoned dogs during the pandemic and the inactivity of India’s Animal Birth Control program, members like Parvathi Prabhakar from the Sadashivanagar Canine Squad have taken proactive measures by neutering hundreds of dogs to address the issue.She explains that they believe neutering is the only solution to this issue.