A Gurugram man’s mission to provide shelter to stray dogs

A Gurugram industrialist repurposes discarded paint drums into shelters for stray dogs, creating a community effort that has provided 28,000 shelters so far.

A Gurugram-based industrialist has turned discarded paint drums from his factory into shelters for stray dogs, an initiative that began with an observation and has since grown into a community-driven effort.

Jagjit Singh standing next to the shelters made from drums. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Jagjit Singh, 59, who manufactures paint, said the idea came to him in 2017 when he noticed a stray dog sleeping inside an empty plastic drum at his factory premises in Ballabgarh. The moment made him rethink how the factory’s waste could be reused.

According to Singh, several empty paint drums from his factory were usually discarded and sold to scrap dealers. Around the same time, he started noticing that stray dogs were frequently resting inside cardboard and plastic boxes around the premises.

“That day, I thought instead of letting the drums go to waste, I could use them to help these stray dogs,” he said. “The next day, I deliberately kept two drums outside, and the following morning I saw four stray dogs sleeping inside them.”

In the first year of the initiative in 2017, Singh said he was able to set aside about 200 drums.

“I reached out to people through messages, social media, and word of mouth. Gradually, several people came forward to support the initiative, and all 200 drums were taken to be used as shelters for stray dogs,” he said.

Since then, the initiative has steadily grown, said Singh. Every Sunday between November and January, people gather at Singh’s residence in DLF Phase 1 to collect the repurposed drums free of cost. People travel not only from Gurugram and Delhi but also from Ghaziabad, Meerut and nearby areas to pick them up.

“Winters in North India can be very harsh even for humans. Imagine what stray dogs have to endure on the streets,” Singh said.

Singh explained that the empty drums are first brought from his warehouse. They are then cleaned, painted and fitted with mattress-like material. Singh said his house help also assists him in preparing the shelters, and it usually takes two to three days to complete them.

“In a week, we can prepare around 300 drums,” he said. “I have always been passionate about dogs. My family also feeds them and treats them as part of our own family.”

Over the years, the initiative has expanded significantly. From producing 200 shelters in 2017, Singh said he made around 7,000 in 2025. In total, about 28,000 such shelters have been distributed so far.

“This year, my goal is to make 10,000 such drums for stray dogs,” he said.

Social media has also helped the initiative reach more people. Singh said he began posting videos on Instagram in 2020. “Gradually, people started following us and engaging with our content. This has also helped our initiative reach several households,” he added.

“When treated with compassion and care, dogs can be incredibly loyal and loving companions for humans. The government must also play a role by stepping up sterilisation and vaccination drives,” he said.

Singh said that families interested in collecting a free dog house can contact him through WhatsApp at +91 8368479289.

“I want more and more people to adopt this idea. It’s not difficult to make, and I don’t want to be the only one doing it. These shelters are meant for stray dogs, and I would be delighted if more initiatives like this help them,” he said.