The Junior Changemakers’ Club | This 13-YO & His Class Helped Save 100 Stray Dogs With One Simple Idea

This Children’s Day, we at The Better India reached out to young achievers across different sectors to learn about the change they wish to see in the country. From tackling a city’s water crisis to becoming a wildlife photographer at just 10, these kids have fresh ideas, high ambitions, and an inspiring spirit to make our nation truly a 'Better India'. Here’s what they have to say on this special day.

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Dear India,

My name is Zohar, and I am 13 years old. I am from Kannur, Bengaluru, and I study in Class 8. I want to share a story about a problem my school community noticed in our neighbourhood, and how a group of us decided to act because we realised we could not leave it to anyone else.

Our school has adopted several stray dogs that live around the campus. They have become part of our school family. One evening, one of the dogs wandered out of the gate, walked onto a dimly lit road, and was struck by a vehicle. The road had no streetlights, and the dog was invisible to the driver. When we heard what had happened, our entire class felt a mix of shock, grief, guilt, and a strong need to do something.

A classmate suggested that we research stray dog accidents across India and explore what we could do locally. We discovered that accidents involving stray animals are a significant issue in the country. Most available studies focused only on human injuries. We found very little reliable information about how many stray dogs are injured or killed in such collisions. This gap made us realise that for every human affected in these accidents, there was also a dog that suffered.

With this understanding, and with guidance from our facilitators, we came up with an idea. We would fit the adopted stray dogs with high-visibility reflective collars so that drivers could see them at night and avoid collisions. We then worked out how to make it happen. Step one was raising awareness in school, step two was fundraising, and step three was implementation.

We reached out to our parent community and to local animal welfare groups. Thanks to their support, we raised funds and purchased reflective collars. Over the next few months, we fitted around 100 stray dogs in and around our school area with these collars.

The change has been real and heartening. Our staff and security guards now report far fewer near-misses. We see the dogs more safely navigating the roads at night, and it feels like the smallest bit of light has made a big difference.

This experience taught me and my classmates a great deal. I learnt that compassion and action must work together. It is not enough to feel sad when something happens. We must think about what can be done and then take steps to make it happen. I also learnt that we do not have to wait to grow older to help. With a caring heart and a supportive community, children can create meaningful change. Most importantly, I understood that prevention is often more powerful than cure.

My message to you, India, is simple: let us make our roads safer for every living being. Stray dogs are part of our urban environment, and their lives matter. Let us build communities where we look out for those who are vulnerable, whether they walk on two legs or four.

And to every young person reading this: your ideas matter. Your actions count. If a group of children from one school can protect 100 dogs in one neighbourhood, imagine what we can achieve together across the country.

With hope and light,
Zohar Verghese
Class 8 student
Sparkling Mindz Global School