Indian Animal Fashion

       There are a lot of people in India, and possibly just as many stray dogs. Back when it was cold in Delhi (revealing how far behind I am on posts - it's now pushing 100 F every day!), many of these lucky puppies were on the street sporting a variety of bizarre coats.  More dogs than not had some kind of blanket, t-shirt, sheet, burlap sack, etc tied around their midsection, insulating them from the sometimes bitterly cold central Indian winter.   

     I couldn't figure it out - is this some kind of civic service the municipal government provides?  Or were kind-hearted civilians taking it upon themselves to winterize their local stray canine(s). Now that the weather is hot again, the doggy coats have entirely disappeared   Another Indian mystery.

     Another dog fashion I recently encountered comes to us from the middle Himalaya in north-western Uttarakhand state. This fuzzy fella is sporting the latest in massive metal collar.  Why, you ask?  Looks uncomfortable.  Well, less uncomfortable than having your throat chewed out by a leopard.  Leopard predation on dogs is a big problem in many parts of rural India.  Most dogs just have to take their chances, but a special few, like this guy, are valuable enough to a sheep or cattle-herding operation that they get fitted with this kind of protection.

     However I think the award for best-dressed animal I've seen to date in India is this stylin' goat from Agra.  This was during the cold season as well, so as with the Delhi dogs, perhaps some thoughtful person was being kind to the animals. Alternative scenario?  A reincarnated auto driver with bad karma for ripping off too many foreigners.