Last Updated:December 12, 2025, 12:36 IST Poonch district orders schoolteachers to monitor stray dogs, sparking criticism over privacy and role boundaries. Similar opposition arose in Chhattisgarh after a related move. Poonch district orders schoolteachers to monitor stray dogs, sparking criticism over privacy and role boundaries. Similar opposition arose in Chhattisgarh after a related move. (AI Image) Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district have issued an unusual directive requiring schoolteachers to take on the responsibility of monitoring stray dog activity around their campuses. Under the order, each school must appoint one teacher as a nodal officer who will record stray dog sightings, alert municipal authorities, and coordinate directly with civic staff. To streamline communication, the names and phone numbers of these designated teachers are to be publicly displayed on school boundary walls. The move has triggered widespread criticism from educators, who say the assignment is “disrespectful” and far removed from their academic duties. Many teachers argue that animal monitoring falls outside their professional scope and distracts from teaching responsibilities, calling for the task to remain …