On World Animal Welfare Day, Bangalore Times sheds light on the numerous groups in the city comprising individuals dedicated to improving the lives of neglected animals. These groups serve as a safety net for animals, with members going the extra mile to advocate for voiceless creatures. Founder of the city’s canine squads, Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, emphasizes that the groups play a crucial role in offering support to dogs in need. These groups seek to educate and empower people to care for animals, especially those that are abandoned or injured. Mallika Ghosh from the CV Raman Nagar Canine Squad regularly shares important emergency contact numbers to equip others with the knowledge needed to respond in such situations. Canine squads in Bengaluru establish local animal care communities, prioritize issues like neutering and vaccination, engage the community in animal welfare, build trust, and work closely with authorities to share expertise on various aspects of animal care. Amidst the pandemic, the massive increase in abandoned puppies due to misinformation about dogs spreading Covid-19 has underscored the importance of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme. Parvathi Prabhakar from the Sadashivanagar Canine Squad has taken a proactive approach by neutering around 400 dogs to combat this issue, highlighting the significance of neutering in animal welfare efforts.