How a Trip to Kerala Inspired The Stray Way CIC
Last year, I travelled to Trivandrum, Kerala, without a clear plan — just a desire to experience something new. I didn’t expect to find purpose in the dogs lying quietly on the roadside, dodging traffic, or nursing injuries.
Every day, I’d see stray dogs everywhere: sleeping on roadsides, dodging traffic, nursing injuries. I started helping a local charity that aims to solve this problem by feeding, providing medical care and carrying out sterilisation and vaccination programmes for the dogs.
Shelters running these programmes are few and far between, and many struggle to stay open. With limited funding and overstretched resources, animal welfare often falls behind other urgent needs like healthcare, housing, and sanitation.
The Stray Way CIC aims to create a sustainable way of funding animal birth control starting in Kerala.
Why Kerala?
Kerala is one of the most progressive states in India when it comes to education and health. Yet, like many parts of the country, it faces a significant and growing street dog population.
It’s estimated that Kerala has around 290,000 stray dogs, and the number is still rising. In 2023 alone, over 120,000 dog bite cases were reported across the state. That’s not a sign of aggression — it’s a sign of fear, lack of healthcare, and the absence of sustainable population management.
With limited access to sustained Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes and growing tension between communities and street dogs, there’s a real need for structured, humane, and scalable solutions.
What We’re Building
The Stray Way CIC is a UK-based ethical dog brand, created to fund street dog welfare in Kerala through every sale.
We’re starting small, but our vision is big: to build a trusted product range — from food and treats to collars and accessories — that directly funds ABC programmes, vaccinations, emergency care, and public education in India’s communities.
Where We’re At
Since 1st April, we have been laying the foundations:
Established a Community Interest Company, limited by guarantee, ensuring all profits go towards the mission
Developed a sustainable business plan
Created a logo and the company’s branding
We’ve launched our Instagram: @The_Stray_Way — Other socials to be launched soon
And we’ve begun product developing to launch the shop
Coming up next?
Finalising the details to open a business bank account
Launch the website within the next 48 hours
Establishing partnerships with ABC shelters in Kerala
Creating a crowdfunder
Growing support
How You Can Help
If this resonates with you — even a little — here’s how you can support:
Follow us on Instagram and share our content: @The_Stray_Way
Support the crowdfunder when it launches — every little bit helps us move faster
Tell people — especially those who love dogs, care about ethical products, or want to be part of something early
Buy our products when they launch
Got skills? Marketing, content, dog behaviour, supply chains — we’d love to collaborate — Callum@thestrayway.co.uk
This isn’t just about the dogs. It’s about building something different — a business with purpose, a brand that connects, and a community trying to do something good together.
Thanks for your help.
