Chutku

I don't have a picture of Chutku but I have slotted a place for her in my mind's album.
I have a picture of her pups though.

I first met Chhutku when she used to loiter around shops for scraps of food. She was slender and beautiful. Her big, gorgeous, dark doe eyes keep looking at me even now! They were stretched, sharp, kind and full of hope.

One day while I was walking by the street, I saw her padding her way without a care of the world. I can’t imagine how her feet made its way into the wheel spoke of a running cycle! People just stood there like innocent bystanders, watching her shriek in pain as she was dragged with her leg stuck in the running cycle. After realising what was going on, the bicycle rider stopped. Nobody would go and rescue her. Fortunately she wrung herself free and disappeared. Perhaps she didn’t want any one to watch her writhe in pain. I was worried whether she would survive. I searched everywhere and found her hiding down a drain. I called her but she was reluctant to come out. She was scared stiff! Finally with a lot of coaxing with food, she limped out. I was glad she trusted me and ate the food that was given to her. From then on I gave her food every day. Slowly she came back to her old self and started scampering around the streets again. Her hurt foot recovered soon. God healed her! I guess, God protects those who need him most. Whenever she saw my car she would come running. When I return home every day, she would invariably wait for me at the exact hour. She was so grateful, even though we did so little for her. We watched her grow mature. Then the day came when the males started hounding her. They fought wars for her and she kept running from them. But she couldn’t escape. Can anyone run from one’s own nemesis? She ran helter shelter but nobody would give refuge to her. No one would adopt her including myself for which I repent time and again! I lived in an apartment where they don’t allow dogs and I had already one at home.

Few months later she gave birth. She would not leave the young ones for even a minute. Not even for food. I had to coax her into eating but she would eat little just to satisfy me and rush back to her motherly duties. Sometimes she would not come to me also. On 11 September 2009, I realized, I didn’t see her for two days at a stretch. I thought she would come back but she didn’t and her pups were helpless without her. I knew she would be the last person on earth to abandon her pups! I searched for her in all the places she was likely to be. I left no stone unturned for her but found no trace. Later I learned from few people that a family had complained to the municipality corporation to take her away as she was littering the area with her pups, where they lived. So they took her away. The truth sank into my head Chhutku was no more. This happened in Shanthinagar, Pondicherry.

For God’s sake she had just become a mother! She was only six months old! Her 2 days old pups needed her. They would die without her! Is it impossible to feel for her just because she was a dog? Did she suffer less pain when she was beaten to death? How different is she from us? I am sure she shrieked in pain and cried for help just like any of us if we were in her place! Why do we turn deaf ears to those who are dependent on us? The man who killed her and the people who ordered it will they be punished for this heinous crime? Where is justice? Not in this world!

I did what I could do at least to save her six female pups. I fed them and kept them alive until I found an animal shelter for them. But they have very little money to look after all the dogs abandoned every day. Nobody is willing to adopt these dogs. I can’t even imagine anyone adopting female dogs!