Wags and Woofs!

(Note : This blog will be full of cute, heart-melting pictures!)

Owning a dog was a charming thing to me in childhood. I had my first dog when I was in 4th grade..his name was Neetu and I loved him totally. He died in his old age. The worst part of having a dog is just one terrible thing. That they pass away too soon. My second dog was Jaadu (meaning magic), my eye candy…I was so attached to him that when he passed away, I got nightmares for many months. I still see his face in my dreams sometimes but now I sense affection and no fear. One thing that I didn’t get when I was young was that dogs aren’t commodities..they are with us to spread love, not for our entertainment value. I loved my dogs then also, but didn’t understand the responsibility of having a pet.. the responsibility of love.

I understood the responsibility when Jaadu died. I started feeding strays around my house to fill up the hole in my heart. It was a way to ignore my grief. I started falling in love with animals I met once or twice a day. Giving them shade in summers and rugs and sheets in winters became a part of my happiness. Was I making a huge difference? I don’t know. I just started loving these kids who were loyal and affectionate, who had harsh conditions to live in (people pelting stones at them, troubling them on festivals, poisoning them) but still one look of love and they would come wagging their tails!

On National Dogs Day , You can do your bit. You can adopt them if you can hold the responsibility of giving unending love and care. And if that’s not possible..you can provide them food and water and pat them with some love. They don’t need much! And if you don’t feel any affection towards dogs..at least don’t trouble them. Stop your kids if they trouble animals. Teaching kids about respecting animals and other beings is the foundation of making them a good human being. Don’t worsen the already hard lives of our community animals.