1 The biopolitics of animal being and welfare: Dog control and care in the UK and India Krithika Srinivasan Citation: Srinivasan, K. (2013), The biopolitics of animal being and welfare: dog control and care in the UK and India. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 38: 106–119. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-5661.2012.00501.x The defiŶitiǀe ǀeƌsioŶ is aǀailaďle at www.blackwell-synergy.com. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-5661.2012.00501.x/abstract Abstract The UK is widely regarded as a nation committed to animal welfare. On the other hand, the pƌeĐaƌious liǀes of IŶdias laƌge stƌaLJ dog population have attracted a considerable amount of iŶteƌŶatioŶal aŶiŵal aĐtiǀist atteŶtioŶ, aŶd ƌaised ƋuestioŶs aďout the ŶatioŶs indifference to these animals. Furthermore, animal welfare practice and policy in India is significantly shaped by British law and practice which is often considered superior. While these contrasting reputations appear reasonable, a closer inquiry reveals complexities that belie an easy relegation to cruel and kind. BƌiŶgiŶg togetheƌ FouĐauldiaŶ sĐholaƌship oŶ power with legal and more-than-human geographies, this paper examines state and civil society discourse relating to the ĐoŵpaŶioŶ speĐies, dog, aŶ aŶiŵal that is pƌoteĐted as a pet if in human homes, and controlled as a pest if out-of-place. In particular, this inquiry examines the discursive formations of dog control law and welfare practice in the UK and India to interrogate conventional understandings of dog (well)being. This analysis is then used as a foundation to conceptually develop Foucauldian work on biopower for the study of more-than-human relationships. The paper also draws out, from the above examination, insights connected to the political question of how humans might share physical and ethical spaĐe ǁith aŶiŵals, eǀeŶ those that doŶt eŶjoLJ the status of pƌoteĐted oƌ useful speĐies. Keywords: Dog welfare; animal geography; Foucault; biopower; more-than-human; animal law. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The UK is ǁidelLJ ƌepƌeseŶted as a ǁoƌld leadeƌ iŶ aŶiŵal ǁelfaƌe ;‘“PCA ϮϬϬϳ, ϱͿ. This leadeƌship status dates ďaĐk to the ĐoloŶial eƌa, ǁheŶ the edžpaŶsioŶ of the Bƌitish eŵpiƌe... seƌǀed to spƌead its ƌuliŶg Đlasss ĐoŶĐeƌŶ foƌ aŶiŵal ǁelfaƌe ;‘LJdeƌ ϭϵϴϵ, ϭϳϱͿ . In India, for example, the first animal welfare law was introduced under the Raj, and many aspects of contemporary animal law in India are modelled after British legislation. Animal welfare organisations (AWOs) in the UK try to live up to this status, and extend their work to ĐouŶtƌies aĐƌoss the ǁoƌld to iŵpƌoǀe staŶdaƌds of aŶiŵal ǁelfaƌe ;Dogs Tƌust ϮϬϭϭ, MaLJheǁ ϮϬϭϬaͿ. This iŶĐludes IŶdia, ǁhiĐh, oǁiŶg to the sheeƌ size of the ĐouŶtƌLJ aŶd the scale of the [stray dog] problem...has...become a preferred working place for international aŶiŵal ǁelfaƌe oƌgaŶisatioŶs ;MaLJheǁ ϮϬϭϬďͿ. IŶ tuƌŶ, AWOs iŶ IŶdia Ŷot oŶlLJ seek