Several stray dogs and a cat were killed Friday night in Mohammadpur’s Japan Garden City,  in the capital which ignited fire amongst netizens on social platforms, including celebrities from the country’s cultural arena. Several local netizens on Friday evening posted on Facebook that some stray dogs and cats were being killed by poisoning in Japan Garden City, requesting everyone's cooperation to save the cats and dogs there. Some videos and pictures related to this went viral in no time and as soon as the news spread, many people rushed to Japan Garden City at night. Soon after it went viral, several celebrities including actress Jaya Ahsan, content creator Salman Muqtadir, actor Khairul Basar, actress Jyotika Jyoti, actor Niloy Alamgir, director Raka Noshin Nower, and others posted on their social profiles, condemning the cruelty and demanding justice. Salman Muqtadir wrote on his verified Facebook page: “What has happened to us. We don’t have any soul. There is no point in calling the animals barbaric because people have become barbaric animals these days.” Expressing his rage towards the killers, he added: “May Almighty’s punishment be bestowed upon you before your death. May every second of your last breath remind you of this. I just hope you remember this when you suffer.” Jaya Ahsan wrote on her official Facebook page: “They (the Japan Garden City Building Committee) have wanted it for almost five years but could not do it because of the protest of local animal lovers and various animal welfare organizations. They made it happen today.” Addressing the murderers, actor Khairul Basar wrote: “Even if dogs ever thought of killing you, I would admit that they are dogs, not people! But as human beings, how did you poison innocent dogs?” Meanwhile, a group of animal lovers including actor Niloy Alamgir along with his wife and activist Tasnuva Tabassum Hridi, rushed to Japan Garden City, voicing their outrage against animal cruelty. The People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, a non-profit organization working for the welfare of animals, has called the incident murder and from the foundation, actress-activist and Bangladesh Film Certification Board member Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed filed a complaint at Adabor police station on Saturday to bring those involved in the incident to justice. In that complaint, Nawshaba, on behalf of the Foundation, mentioned that the cat and ten dogs died of pain due to being poisoned. When residents and animal rights activists contacted the police station, a Sub-Inspector (SI) came to the spot and the bodies of three dogs and a cat were found in his presence; Nawshaba alleged that the remaining bodies of the animals were hidden. According to the netizens and media reports, a group of Japan Garden City residents had been campaigning for the killing of stray dogs using the banner 'JGC Life Safety' for some time, and had been circulating banners and festoons inside the Japan Garden City with messages such as “All stray dogs should be sent to the homes of animal lovers” etc. Meanwhile, the PAW Foundation posted on its Facebook page that the matter has been informed to the Director General of the Directorate of Livestock on behalf of the foundation, and the DG assured to take all legal steps.  

President Joe Biden announced Saturday that Champ, the older of the family’s two dogs, had died “peacefully at home.” The German shepherd was 13. “He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family,” Biden and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement posted to the president’s official Twitter account. The Bidens are spending the weekend at their home in Wilmington, Delaware. Read:Biden fractures foot while playing with dog The Bidens got Champ from a breeder after Biden was elected vice president in 2008. Champ was a fixture at both the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory and now the White House. In their statement, the Bidens said that when Champ was young, “he was happiest chasing golf balls on the front lawn of the Naval Observatory,” and that more recently he enjoyed “joining us as a comforting presence in meetings or sunning himself in the White House garden.” “In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, he was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion,” the Bidens said. Champ’s passing leaves the Bidens with their younger German shepherd, Major, whom the family adopted from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018. Read:Dogs, cats can't pass on coronavirus, but can test positive The Bidens could occasionally be seen walking their two dogs on the White House South Lawn, and the dogs sometimes would join the president on trips to Camp David or visits home in Delaware. Major has drawn headlines for his bad behavior in the past. Major caused Biden to suffer a foot injury in November, after the then-president-elect tripped over the younger dog while they were playing. Major and Champ were brought home to Delaware at one point, and Major went through training after the younger dog had two separate biting incidents at the White House and an unknown dog appeared to have pooped in a White House hallway. Read:Egypt's once-reviled street dogs get chance at a better life Champ, who showed his age in recent months in his graying fur and slower gait, was often a more tranquil presence. The Bidens are expected to bring a cat to the White House to join the family sometime soon.

Dogs are not only man's best friend, they are also his oldest one. And that's the reason why the Dhaka South City Corporation’s (DSCC) recent move to relocate strays from the capital has sparked a huge public outcry.

Stray dogs have always been a part and parcel of Dhaka. However, in a controversial move, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has, of late, started relocating strays from different parts of the metropolis under its jurisdiction to the Matuail landfill on the outskirts.

Amid debate among city dwellers over protecting stray dogs, Lal Sabuj Society, a voluntary organization, came forward with a unique initiative to save street dogs as well as  people.