Yet another story of a human-dog conflict, yet another clamor for the removal of the culprits, which invariably turn out to be the voiceless. Nobody would ever know their side of the story, how a poor child, for lack of a toy, decided to turn weeks-old puppies into entertainment, stealing them away from the mother, or how a guard beat up a dog for barking at passersby, breaking its bones and jaws, which eventually took its life. Or people — often people living in tough situations — taking out their aggression on these street animals.
In a similar conflict that occurred at PKD, few residents bypassed the law and took matters into their own hands, first by breaking the feeding bowls, then by poisoning a dog, and wrapping layers of tape around the mouth of another.
Realizing the cruelty that awaited the hapless dogs, the RWA appealed to the residents owning farmhouses to take in a few dogs in order to prevent further conflict. Mr. MV Rao, of OS-5 was generous enough to agree. And so went the two of the dogs from PKD. The initial few days were obviously tough, with the dogs escaping the farm to get back to their pack and only home they had ever known. Bidisha, from PKD-44, instrumental in getting the dogs to the farm, spent a harrowing night looking for the dogs along the highway. They were eventually found and brought back. It took us many visits to get them to settle into their new surroundings. But with Mr. Rao and his staff’s kindness and care, the dogs soon started to enjoy the openness and safety of their new home. A heartfelt thanks to Mr. Rao for rising to the occasion and restoring our faith in humanity.
We appeal to the residents reading this article, to please consider adopting community dogs instead of buying them from breeders. A practice which isn’t only unethical but also cruel. We promise you a lifetime of companionship, loyalty, devotion and gratitude.
