Mysore/Mysuru: People for Animals (PFA) Mysore, in collaboration with Mysuru’s animal-rights activists, organised a candlelight march titled ‘Pawsitive March’ last evening at Cheluvamba Park, V.V. Mohalla, standing in solidarity with community dogs across India.

The protest followed the Supreme Court’s interim order of Nov. 7, 2025, mandating the removal of stray dogs from schools, hospitals, railway stations and other key public spaces — a directive with far-reaching implications for animal welfare nationwide.

Participants raised slogans and marched with candles around the premises. The demonstration drew support not only from local activists but also from foreign nationals and dog lovers.

Addressing the gathering, Colonel Dr. Nawaz Sharif, Managing Director of PFA Bengaluru (Wildlife), argued that forcing the relocation of stray dogs to shelters undermines the principles of humane coexistence.

He said, the judgment was “unjust” and insisted that community dogs do not pose unnecessary threats to humans. Removing them, he warned, would trigger ecological imbalance, paving the way for monkeys, rats and other wildlife to encroach into human settlements. A surge in rat populations, he cautioned, could even raise the risk of diseases like plague.

He added that, PFA will file a review petition in the Supreme Court on Nov. 27, challenging the order. Activists demanded an immediate review of directives that overlook the ABC Rules, 2023, scientific evidence and established global best practices.

They called for compassionate, lawful and sustainable approaches to managing community dogs and vowed to continue engaging with civic bodies, legal institutions and the public to ensure that empathy prevails over fear, misinformation and institutional insensitivity.

The protest witnessed participation from PFA Mysore Founder and Trustee Savitha Nagabhushana, Dr. Raj Premi Shetty, Dr. Amardeep, environmental activist Malini Palaksha, KRS Party President Sudhakar Sudhi, Kavya Chandrashekar, artist Stanny and several others.