Adopting a stray can grant the gift of life not only to the pet but also their human owners. Research indicates that having pets at home helps relieve stress and regulates blood pressure better in humans. Then why not live a life of compassion and get a companion from among the speak-less ones. You will be blessed by the almighty and win yourself a friend for life- (remember the story of Androcles and the lion...) Almost all animals respond with unconditional love to a gesture of love or kindness.
Many dogs are homeless, but only a few dog lovers in the country come forward to adopt stray dogs. The strays are born into this world through no fault of their own. So why put them through the tribulations that this unkind world has to offer them? I'm trying to educate others in my city to adopt and provide a loving home to some of these beautiful creatures.
Strays are not always born on the streets. Many people just abandon their pets when they become slightly older. Reasons used to justify such behaviour are that they are no longer the size they once were as puppies/kittens, are eating more than they had hoped, or have become old enough to fend for themselves on the street. These animals are not habituated to 'fending' for themselves. Confused and terrified, and driven to starvation, they feed on refuse left by us picking up germs that weaken their otherwise strong immune systems. Some even get hurt in territorial fights during the heat cycle.
Stray dogs aren't a nuisance or threat, they are our friends. We disregard them, sometimes, to uphold our social status, since they come from the streets and are not Cocker Spaniels, Poodles or German Shepherds. But, why does one think that there is no dignity in caring for mongrels or strays? We can make a pet out of a street dog, and the most compelling reason should be - compassion for the canine. We can feed many street dogs for the thousands we spend on buying pedigree dogs, when there are so many dogs out on the streets waiting to be loved and cared for. Strays not only make loyal and lovable companions, they are excellent watch dogs.
My Friend, Debbie, is a dog lover and a volunteer for People For Animals, one of India’s largest animal welfare organizations. She adopted a couple of strays a few years ago and says that they provide hours of fun and love for her and family members. She feeds Pedigree, an expensive brand of dog food, and provides medical attention to other stray dogs as well.
The concept of stray dog adoption isn't a novel one. There are many organisations like Let's Live Together, Precious Paws, and Voice of Stray Dogs, that arrange regular adoption camps bringing together many animal lovers to adopt strays from them. I dislike the idea of buying a breed dog . There are so many dogs out on the streets without homes, that get hit by vehicles or die without food and shelter .
Being a dog lover, myself, I adopted 3 strays last year. Stray dogs are more adapted to the Indian climate and have strong immunity against diseases. Give them a home- a small space, love and care and they will return the love manifold and protect you from burglars or intruders. Some of these strays are so clever that they can even call out for help if they feel that their masters are in some kind of trouble. Stories of how dogs are willing to give up their lives to drag out their owners from a house on fire or one that has been damaged by natural disasters are not only inspirational but also help change the mindset of people still refraining from adopting pets. In my opinion, for a compassionate dog lover, the breed doesn’t matter, they just love dogs who love them back.
Ramya, a friend of mine who runs pet store and works with an NGO, promotes the adoption camps and helps find homes for stray dogs from among her clients. She helps rescue abandoned dogs and finds them permanent homes. Leena, another dog lover and rescuer from Bangalore, says that she is willing to provide nurturing environment to very young pups until they become happy, healthy, vaccinated and dewormed. After that it becomes necessary to find them loving homes so that more pups can be brought home to be readied for adoption.
My motto and the message I would like to share with others is that - Love a speak-less one, adopt stray dog today and help save a life.
