April 13, 2011
As most of you are aware, we lost one of our stray dogs, last week, on Thursday, April 07, 2011. He ran away from an Animal Ambulance at the Shivaji Nagar Signal (Deonar), whilst being transported to the Hospital. For those of you who are not aware, here is a small description. Brown, old, stray dog, largish, but lean, pus infection in both eyes, hematoma in both ears, mild skin infection on back towards end of body. WEARING a brownish animal print COLLAR. We have also decided to announce an INR 11,000/- reward for his safe return. It distresses us that we have not been able to find him so far, inspite of regular searches. It worries terribly us that he is not a healthy dog, and is unable to see or hear as well as he should. It nauseates us that he must be hungry or thirsty or sick or just plain frightened & lost. That we will miss him is a given, that he will suffer seems so very sad. Maybe there was that one special animal for you that began your great love affair with all animals. For us, he was it! We found him three years ago & although we have added to our little brood since then, he remains irreplaceable. He had such personality! The King of his little street corner, even later in his partially blinded state! And how much he could talk... and most of you will understand this... we would be greeted with long speeches, filled with excited yelps & barks & whines, whilst he danced around us. It made us guilty everyday to leave him on that street corner, but he never grudged it, lavishing the same attention on us everyday, as only dogs can! We now try to avert our eyes from that street corner... We have loved him for so long... There is no reason for me to tell you this except to move you enough to act & help us to find our dog. Yes, we understand the impossibility of the situation, we have walked & driven down many, many streets, have distributed a great quantity of flyers, have contacted everyone we could think off... and we continue to hold out hope. We could use all the assistance that anyone could provide. We understand that you deal with a large number of animals everyday & believe, perhaps naively, that each has its own story. This is his story... he is a brave, patient, loving, possessive, intelligent, sometimes demanding, expressive, talkative dog... he has lived on a street corner next to Infiniti Mall (Andheri - West) for most of the last three years. A year ago he had acquired a companion, who Vikas would refer to as his 'lady friend'... a beautiful black dog, the only one allowed to eat whilst he was eating... He appeared to be slowly losing interest in her... maybe she nagged him too much! He has been ill in the last few months, with his eyes getting progressively worse, but he took it stoically, like a champ! When he finally refused to let us touch or treat his eyes, we called for an ambulance to take him to the hospital. That was the last time we saw him and we wonder where he is all the time! Here's what you can do to help us: 1. Distribute the flyers attached in the Deonar, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Powai, Chembur & Thane areas, especially along & near the highways. If you would like already printed flyers, we shall be happy to get them to you. 2. Forward this email & all messages to any animal activists / lovers you know. The more people that know, the more likely someone will spot him. 3. Put up description details on your websites / facebook pages. 4. Tell your clients, volunteers, patients & friends. 5. If you know someone, in your local BMC, in the above areas, please inform them as well. 6. Help us physically to find him, or send us volunteers. We are hoping to gather a larger number of people to help us search / distribute flyers in the very large area where he may be lost. This search will be on Saturday, most likely 5pm onwards. If you are able to participate, we shall be very grateful, so please do let us know. 7. If you are so inclined, please pray for his safe return. We contact some of you on an almost daily basis & we feverishly hope that the next time we contact you is to jubilantly announce that we have found him & to invite you to a street party at a tiny Andheri West street corner! But incase it is not; please bear with us... because we will not give up. Best Regards, Shaaista & Vikas [98212 31805] & [98199 79949]
