The Squads - Launch of WhatsApp Communities

Are you on a squad yet? You should be! We are rocking.

After the success of whatsapp groups like Cubbon Park Canines, Knights of Cubbon Bark, Cunningham Canine Squad, JP Nagar Mini Commune, we felt that we should try and create some structure around the localisation and community in the effort to produce effective, resilient and informed Community Guardians.

The use of the word Squad creates a sense of purpose and being uniformed, armed and goal oriented. The common branding also creates a single united canine platform for Bangalore and allows sharing of best practices. The addition of both compassionate animal lovers, officials and specialist team members creates a diversity and spread of effective outcome oriented results , without losing out on warmth, we-feeling and community that motivates it. The removal of any commercial element whatsoever confirms its integrity and singleminded purpose.

*Objective* :

• Create Communities locality wise

• Keep it geo focused And HYPERLOCAL

• Use a hub & spoke model with Facebook/Central Squad Admins as the hub and squads as the spokes

• Strengthen community guardianship

• Create standard action templates for feeding, rescue and escalation

• Create metrics. More focused animal work rather than the haphazard AK47 approach used now

• Create a sense of warmth & interdependence

• Dovetailing with larger community and RWA

• Involvement of local BBMP, SAWB and police in area

• Channelise group wisdom and knowledge management on neuter, abuse, rescue & cruelty

• Loyalty and brand as seen in a common logo

*Success*:

• Buzzing WhatsApp groups creating a framework for anything animal related in Blr

• Templates for cookie cutter community efforts that can be standardized all Blr/state/India

• More ABC, structured feeding, more #AdoptDontShop, faster effective rescues, less cruelty, less illegal breeders and pet shops

• Better funding for community effort

• Recognition by AWBI and Civic authorities .

Here are a few squads in town:

1. Cubbon Park Squad

2. Cunningham Canine Squad

3. Ulsoor Canine Squad

4. Sadashivnagar Canine Squad

5. indiranagar Canine Squad

6. Thippesandra Canine Group (tie up)

7. Frazer Canine Squad

8. Richards Town Squad -Strays Matter

9. Jayamahal Canine Squad

10. Hennur Canine Squad

11. Hebbal Canine Squad

12. Malleswaram canine Squad

13. Richmond Canine Squad

14. Austin Canine Squad

15. CV Raman Canine Squad

16. ECity Canine Squad

17. JP Nagar Canine Squad

18. Bannerghata Canine Squad

19. BSK Canine Squad

20. Koramangala Canine Squad

21. Jakkur Canine Squad

22. Jalahalli Canine Squad

23. Lalbagh Canine Squad

24. Bellandur Canine Squad

25. Whitefield canine Squad

26. GGL & SunCity Canine Squad

27. RMV Canine Squad - Cause for Paws

28. Kanakpura Animal Squad

29. RR Nagar Canine Squad

30. Lalbagh Canine Squad

31. Jayanagar Canine Squad

32. Majestic Canine Squad

33. Yemlur Canine Squad

34. Thanisandra canine Squad

35. Canine Squad Admin Group

36. growing every day

Community Guardians

The canine squads are based on the principle of community guardianship which in turn focuses on looking after one’s own space and working with multiple stakeholders in order to manage status quo and/or create impact. Given the change in laws , the street dog issues, problems around pets in apts etc, this tends to be a lot more contentious. We can’t look after all of Blr, but we can manage our immediate area - WITH a lil help from our friends. Hence with the stakeholders like BBMP, Doglovers, Feeders and rescuers, General residents, the focus is to integrate, leverage to create maximum value and safety for the community.

The Circle of Influence

Look at it this way a if one can imagine us as part of a series of concentric circles.

Circle of influence

1. Right in the center of the dartboard is a small red dot which is the animal activist and welfarists. perhaps only a mere 10% of the population and an echo chamber at best. We honestly know most of the stuff, don’t need to convince one another of what needs to be done or how good we are - maybe work on just a few collaborations all strategic interventions. The balance 90% of population is spread over 3 concentric circles.

2. The next category comprises 30% - which is reasonably loving pet parents will look after not only their pets but take some care of those around, are somewhat helpful as & when needed. These are not rescuers or even active in the animal welfare space at all. However the good thing is that they have or have had pets , already inclined to be kind and helpful where animals are concerned.

3. Third category or circle is 40% of the population - those who are completely neutral, completely uninvolved, uninterested, uninformed or plain ignorant. This group will not do anything deliberately to hurt animals but is very passive about the whole issue and about the ability to be of any help at all. This one is most likely to feel a little sad but walk past an accident case, ignore a puppy on the road or merely worry about how the street dogs affect their homes and children . But they will not do anything harm dogs as such.

4. The final category of 20% are those people who are actively antagonistic towards dogs and pets, and even deliberately cruel either because of lack awareness of the laws, being old-fashioned, bad upbringing or just plain evil. It is just not worth our while to spend any time at all with this category because they are nearly impossible to convince, involve a massive expend of energy to even get through. So why waste valuable and limited resources on this set?In any case if they really were to be cruel the new PCA laws and a very engaged and outraged citizenry will ensure they are both penalized and corrected.

Information & empowerment is key. So if you want to imagine the series of concentric circles we at the 10% red center should get a little lighter in color as we spread awareness and empowerment to the second circle of 30% who are on the verge of being engaged dog lovers and supporters but either have not received the information, community help or an understanding, and that it is not very difficult to do. By focusing on this group the multiplier effect is very high as they are already predisposed to be kind to animals. They may not have always adopted, or always rescued but they can be quickly transitioned and it is this group that we need to bring into the squads because this is the expansion motif that is critical for a squad to succeed. The red tinge does not and will never go across the city but the first circle of 30% is the sweet spot. It’s pinks up quickly ! Ideally when we move on to the third circle of 40% the color seeps more slowly but there is a possibility that they can be positively influenced as well and if they are it’s a big bonus. The second circle of the 30% can help! The idea is to hit this 30% of creamy whites who will eventually become at best most potent and most effective ambassadors as they are middle of the road, considered to be more enmeshed with a human community and not viewed as animal welfarists as such.

While there are many other related issues around the canine squads the the ripple, multiplier impact can best be understood With this visual and the 3-D impact of the red watercolor moving into the different circles the focus been looking as pink and compassionate as possible and BROADENING care for animal in ones area.

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