Animal lovers in the southern Indian city of Chennai are putting reflective collars on stray dogs and cattle to protect them from being run over by speeding vehicles at night.
Around 300 dogs and cattle in the city have been fitted with the “magic collars”, which are made of reflective cloth that bounces off light from incoming cars and motorcycles in the dark. This makes the animals visible to drivers, giving them ample time to slow down.
The project was started by the organisation People for Cattle in India after a survey revealed that most vehicle owners in Chennai were unable to spot an animal in the dark. The collars have been successfully tested on dogs in the cities of Bengaluru, Pune and Jamshedpur.
This is only a small proportion of an estimated 80,000 stray dogs in Chennai. Eventually, the organisation hopes to fit these collars on the city’s entire stray dog population. It is also inviting other animal lovers to participate in the campaign and tag the stray animals in their neighbourhood.