Spotted by Globetrotter Steve: police in India’s Bihar state in northern India are so short of resources they are using a pack of stray dogs to protect themselves from Maoist rebels. A recent BBC report says that the 24 policemen are spending around 5% of their salaries to feed and keep the dogs who perform street patrols at night. “The dogs patrol and when they start barking we get alert and flash our torch” says one police officer. If you wondered what the newly adopted police dogs eat: the report goes on to say that usually, the dogs are served a mix of rice and pulses twice a day, but they are sometimes given chapattis and there are separate utensils and an open earthen oven kitchen for the dogs.

“We rely heavily on them and they’re very much part of our force to combat Maoists,” said assistant sub-inspector Mirza Matin Beg.