Smartworld

In a smartworld controlled by smart people where even the smartest find it difficult to survive, I bow down to the undying spirit of these Streetwise Survivors who somehow manage to survive through the skin of their teeth, for yet another day. They are really grittier than the average human being, you or me. Extremely spontaneous with their unconditional love, they are the Guardians and Champions of the Street. Still confused? –they are the real underdogs. No, not Charlie Chaplin’s underdog characters that were caricatured so nicely by that King of Comedies. My underdogs are Kings and Queens of Tragedies who still manage to make our lives so bright with their tales of heroism. Yes, this is a tale of Wagging Tails, the underdog of them all — The Streetdog, The Pariah, The Cur, The Mongrel, The Bitch!  As a rule, they are always looked down upon, neglected and scorned by the superior human race.

The Great Streetdog

I literally look upto them although practically I have to look down at them at streetlevel. Ask any downtrodden streetpeople of the world, be it from Honkong, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, London, Quebec, Tel Aviv, New Delhi or New York. They bond with these unfortunate Creatures of God, maybe because they also view the world from streetlevel? Surviving on the mean streets of a city or a cloistered village as a streetdog is a tough challenge. They love to outsmart the odds against them, right from the stage when they are puppies in a harsh human society. They may limp and hobble after stones are pelted at them by street urchins. They may howl in pain when kicked by spoiled brats and schoolkids. They may lose a leg or two when raced over by ugly men and women in their ugly machines. Yet they survive on the roads, garbage dumps and sewer drains, never forgetting to wag their tails for a bite thrown at them. They beat the vagaries of the weather through sheer survival instincts. Come rain, storm, snow or drought, they are there — the friendly neighbourhood streetdog, grinning and bearing it all.

Free Security Service

Very often the first to come into newly developing Township and usually the last to leave a town during a calamity, streetdogs provide loyal security services, practically free of cost. Since they know the neighbourhood and its people pretty well, they provide the first security barrier to outside intruders, particularly thieves and criminals. Ragpickers and weirdly dressed people irritate them and they show their immediate dislike through a strange pattern of barking. Occasionally when they sent frequent yelps of alarm, rest assured that the Neighbourhood Security System is active and alert. Now all you have got to do is get up and take a peek at who the intruder is. The unpaid streetdog has done its part of the unsaid job, now it is upto you as to how you would face the situation. As for the eerie howling in the night? –well, could be a ghost or a roaming ghoul caught on the streetdog’s infra-red, ultra-sound night radar. Besides, streetdogs being highly sensitive and grounded, they can easily sense earthquakes and uunusual happenings. They may go around barking in circles at the sight and smell of fire, snakes etc. Yet human beings snigger at these Allround Utility Canines and snigger at those who feed these great friends of humanity.

Feeding Streetdogs

Most streetdogs don’t get proper food or medicines, yet they survive on garbage trash and drain water! However, a few people will always share their food and leftovers with these unfortunate animals. Ordinary cuts and injuries are nursed and the serious ones are reported to NGOs who do their bit. Modern citizens also take care to see that occasionally dogs and bitches of the neighbourhood are sterilised, and given their anti-rabies shots. Feeding stray dogs is not a crime. Rather their wagging tails and look of gratefulness provides more peace than when giving fruits and flowers to pictures of Gods and deities. Unlike those undignified humans who beg for alms in front of Churches, Mosques and Temples, streetdogs are not beggars. Yet, each time I feed or pat a streetdog in the neighbourhood, I do not know whether they will be there tomorrow. For that matter, I am unsure myself whether I’ll be there tomorrow? So daily, before or after my meals, I feed the two streetdogs which come to my doorstep. Actually they are the only two surviving ones from a litter of seven, born in a block of flats behind our house last year. This is my way of saying Grace to God, for all his small mercies in a cruel world.

Swimming Against The Tide

Some eight years ago I saved a squealing pup from the dry drain where it was dumped by somebody from the neighbouring locality. Lali is still hale and hearty and surviving at a  neighbouring block. Three years back it had left the neighbourhood after all its puppies were killed by security staff of a residential complex where it had taken shelter and delivered its second litter. Three out of eight pups had survived in the first litter, and used to accompany my Tito back from our walks, for a bite or two. First to go was Lattu, caught in a gate from which it tried to wiggle out and failed. Next to go was Gattu. I was worried when it didn’t turn up one day. I had the shock of my life when I found a similar looking dog, three kilometres away from my house, smack in the middle of a busy thoroughfare! I had some sweets with me which I gave after asking,”want some?” Surprisingly it shook its head like Gattu used to, but by then I had crossed the road. Immediately I returned to the spot to find that Gattu had gone. I searched the junction, nearby lanes but no luck. In the afternoon I returned to the street junction, searched again, gave descriptions to local shopkeepers but Gattu had gone forever. Later I made a sketch, put up posters offering a Cash Reward at few conspicuous places–post office, bus terminus, one college, and followed it up with distribution of 50 such leaflets through local newspaper. Later an Ad was put in a Bengali daily, still Gattu falied to come. Had somebody dumped Gattu there? or was it an apparition? Dottie was the next one to go. He was all of 6-months and looked like a Dalmatian. He simply vanished after a meal at my house, and a bite from the neighbouring house. My hunt followed the same old pattern, but vanishing streetdogs seldom make it back. I had a feeling somebody had drugged it, but why? The last day Dottie was seen, he appeared to be a little disoriented. The latest to go was Bholy, sister of the surviving two –Kallu and Phuchu. They are remnants of seven, born to another Lali last year. Although I had wired up my gates they used to clamber up over and on to my verandah. I put out some sacking for them to lie on at night. One chubby white one died, throwing up. Another two went missing. One was bitten by a big dog, perhaps rabid, and started biting others. A veterinary NGO-group was informed, they took it away. It died after  three days. The remaining four and the mother was given anti-rabies shots. I had to take 5-shots, fearing infection from exposure. After a deluge which continued for four days, Kalu went missing. Was it swept away crossing the flooded lakes behind our house? My searches proved futile. Bholy had started mating around when maybe eight to nine months old. Finding her on the highway 100-metres away from our house with a male tail-less mongrel had made me a little anxious. I tried to shoo it away into our residential neighbourhood but it hung around dodging speeding vehicles. After the day’s meal Bholy was not seen at night with the other two. That made me a little worried. Next day on my way back from market some crows scavenging on something run over on the highway, drew my attention. On a closer look my worst fears turned true. Bholy was lying there, flattened and dead –perhaps overnight. Over the next few days I had to pass the spot and everyday I noticed Bholy turning from a lively bundle of mischief to a spread out rug for the highway traffic. One day nothing remained. Kallu and Phuchu are still there. Phuchu has been sterilised. Kallu had slipped out of the lasso. The vets will come again, and hopefully they will survive without breeding unwanted litters.

Streetdogs of Kolkata

Kolkata has many streetdogs, several streetdog lovers and a few streetdog loving NGOs who try to provide a reasonable standard of healthcare to streetdogs that are brought under their care. They go on Sterilisation Drives, providing Anti-Rabies vaccine, treatment and care of injured dogs etc. Although it is a dog’s life out on the mean streets of Kolkata, the people of Kolkata do make a difference, helping these streetdogs survive against all odds. My eyes light up when I see young boys and girls, even senior citizens, moving around with packets of food and biscuits for streetdogs. No, feeding streetdogs will not show you the path of heaven but their wagging tails are worth their weight in gold.