New Delhi, Aug. 22 -- It's hard to imagine that Bombay (now Mumbai) once came to a screeching halt over stray dogs. Almost 200 years ago, this city shut shop, marched in the streets, and very nearly brought the East India Company to its knees. All because the administration tried to mess with the city's stray dogs.

In the summer of 1832, when the fear of cholera had affected port cities worldwide, the British administration, ever fond of order and overreaction, decided that the city's stray dogs were a menace-disease-ridden, aggressive, and far too free-roaming. So, they passed a decree: from 15 May to 15 October, any unclaimed dog could be killed, and a bounty would be paid for each carcass. In doing this, they effectively drew a line b...