Memories of a Little Girl Called Dolly! (XXVIII)

There are late latifs for everything. It was proved for the dog issue as well. People kept coming to ask about how we solved the issue. We had become very famous because the issue had gone to press. We told them that BMC people came to do the needful, though it was a bit late.

Very interesting dog stories would reach us. A few of them were as follows:

1. A dog would follow a man taking his child on a tricycle, wherever he went. It would turn at the same place after jumping. The child’s father found this as a nuisance.
2. One music teacher found that every time she would begin her class, 2-3 dogs would wail exactly how the students sang. She even tried to change the timings. But, the same thing was repeated!
3. A Western dance class was being conducted, nearby. They would play the song loudly and dance to that beat only. A dog would jump at the closed door and scratch over it from top to bottom.

We watch programmes, where dogs perform different antics. We usually see these without thinking much about them much. After knowing the above, we can understand, what all dogs can do!

When Dolly came home after this, “Kutta, kutta kutta. Kutta pagal, kutta pagal, kutta pagal kar diya chabko.”

Though she said this way, she was no longer as chirpy as she was before.

The boy, who had seen the goat die under the bus, was treated for psychiatric ailment for a long time. People said that it was the goat’s ghost that was haunting our colony and had killed the dogs.

With these kinds of whispers happening, one day, the relative of a political party leader came visiting us for the remedy of the dogs. Mom told her that dogs hold an important place in Hindu religion. It is called the vehicle of Kala Bhairava. It is also connected to Lord Dattatreya and even Shirdi Sai Baba. She said, “Having said that it is difficult to resolve the issue fully because people keep feeding these dogs for religious issues. Some resolution can be brought about.”

The woman asked, “It is these dogs that save the colony from outsiders. What can we do about them?”

Mom said, “If someone wants to do something bad somewhere, they would first get friendly with the dogs by dropping a few biscuits for them. Therefore, we do not need so many dogs.”

She asked, “Some people have begun projects to save dogs for the sake of Ahimsa, etc. What can be done about them?”

Mom replied, “Do they know how the dogs live without water and proper food? Is it necessary that they get food every day? They pant with their long tongue dropped out suffering from hunger and thirst. Do these people taking up projects come and see what the real situation is? The dogs eat rotten food and they get diseases. Some of them become mad. So many people die of mad dog bites. Some dogs’ bodies become rotten, while they live. It is easy to make comments sitting at home or in air-conditioned offices. But, it is difficult to face the reality.”

The woman asked, “So, what can be done about this?”

Mom replied, “We should hold a signature campaign and send the signatures to the government and even to these arm chair animal lovers. We, personally as a team, can bring up a pair of dogs near a temple, constructing a clean shelter for them. There should be a proper attendant, who would take care of the dogs and give them proper doctor’s attention as well. One pregnancy should be ignored and one puppy from it should be kept with the temple and the rest sold. Then, the dogs should be sterilized. The puppy will grow up and give birth to one set of puppies. The same things should be repeated.

“Similarly, dogs can be bred in different buildings under the supervision of the security of the building. Following the same manner of breeding, we can maintain a controlled population of healthy dogs. The dogs should not be allowed loose without a caretaker.

“One important thing is that we should not serve food to any animal, bird or human on the ground. It should be given in a container only. But, when we go out, we find foodstuff served to dogs fallen on the ground. The Mother Earth gives us food. But, this is like abusing Her.

“These suggestions can be strictly adhered to in the form of rules. If the government brings this out as a law, then the issue of stray dogs will be solved.”

The woman was very happy, when she left. But, till now nothing connected to our suggestions has happened. But, there is a gentleman in Worli, Mumbai named Kulkarni. He solved the stray dog problem in his area, more recently.

Coming back to Dolly and co., we thought with the closing of the dog episode there will be no more threats, especially to children. But, man proposes and God disposes. The Gentleman above had other ideas. He sent a monkey to our colony!

To be continued…