A place to call home

Payal Sodhi

You know it when you heart feels good and secure- a sense of relief and of course you smile- that’s home for all.

Pets love their home, their families and their little corners – they build it all each moment and each day and then sleep each night, with a comfortable feeling that tomorrow there will be another day – at home.

But we take that home and all that which comes with it- all of it we just pull it away from our little four legged companions for reasons that even logic would not understand.

Not fair

Getting a four legged companion home is like the wedding vows- in health and in sickness… Till death do us apart. Ah! the ache of then breaking the vow, without giving the other – a chance to even understand what-where and how. Well, that is the story of so many pets who get deserted by their respective families, a lot of them die in road accidents ( as mostly they have no idea how to move around in traffic) while only a few end up in shelters/ hospitals. But that is not the end of the story- rather it just begins for them.

Most families have either one or two pets and that’s what they are used to – and then suddenly they land up in a place where there are hundred barking and wailing sick and injured dogs. Then there is the smell of a hospital and then there is not a single familiar face and then there is no - my space- my food and a million questions and the worst is the ache in the heart that – how did I land up here, where is my family? 

Wait, there is more, once they are medically checked and then assigned a kennel, the waiting starts. They only stare at the door- waiting and waiting for their family to walk in through that magical door and take them home.

It is heart breaking to just see them like this. Each day it gets worse for them, they rarely eat, they just do nothing except stare at the door.

People who work in shelters and hospitals know that nothing works out for these deserted pets, you can try it all. It is most rare that a broken heart of these absolutely wonderful four legged companions could be mended. They just are so pure and love so true that all that they know about life is their home.

Do not do this people, just do not desert your pets- resolve the issue.

So sweet 

Sweety has been deserted by her family as she has a medical problem of water retention; she is 7 to 8 years old. Her treatment is going on, we all are doing our best but then it is not the medicine that will save her – she just wants her family and we cannot do anything about it now.

She stares at the door too but it seems the familiar faces will not come back for her- please help us save Sweety. We need a loving and caring family for her now. She needs a new home– not that she will understand all of it but yes she will wait less.

You should know 

• As per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, desertion of a pet is a crime.
• As soon as your pet falls sick, go to the doctor, in fact once you get a pet home- have a doctor on call/ go for regular visits.
• If there is any other issue regarding the pet, then visit the nearest animal welfare organization; they could help you too.
• Pets are deserted for host of reasons – children not studying now, parents too old, working couples and no time, new baby at home, shifting to smaller house  – stop it. These are excuses; you just want a way out. Hence, if you have no support within the family then please do not keep a pet at all- visit your friends/ neighbour’s pet. This way you will not break a pure heart at least.
• Do not be selfish. Getting a pet home is a life -long commitment – both ways. 

( For adoption queries, either write at – [email protected] or call at 9517817743 / 7347423219  between 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.) 

(Sodhi is an animal rights activist)

The column will appear fortnightly