TWENTY ONE GUN SALUTE

 

It was raining cats and dogs that day, I remember.  I was browsing through a free giveaway group on Facebook as I sipped my coffee, gone slightly cold as it always does when I get engrossed in something. I decided  to ask for a couple of dog bowls since I had only two and we were feeding five stray dogs. 

A day later, a person posted a reply, saying she could spare me two of her bowls. We connected on Messenger and she told me where she lived and that she rescues dogs and cats but now no longer has cats, just ten inside dogs and eleven outside dogs. 

Her story struck a chord in my memory. A neighbour had mentioned two animal rescue people he knew and one was in the same village as this person who was giving me the bowls. She too had around the same number of dogs; he had told me how wonderfully she took care of them as if they were her own children. 

So, I called Dominic up and turned out they were one and the same person. Talk about coincidences! At the earliest opportunity,  we made our way to Louie's house. (For private reasons, I will refrain from mentioning the village.) 

At the gate, we were greeted by a volley of barking dogs streaming out from within. Later, I came to know that these were the 'outside' dogs, who came from the neighbouring streets to be fed daily and sheltered by her during the rains. They were not allowed inside the house due to space restraints.  

As we entered and walked up a short flight of stairs to the inside, the first thing I noticed was there was no smell. Usually, with even a few dogs, a place stinks of wet fur or other doggie odors. Second, I noticed that the dogs were sitting on the diwans like human beings would and third, they were calm and unperturbed by us. They knew Dominic, of course, but I was a stranger. It was uncanny. I think that I was the disturbed one, expecting a bite at any moment. 

We sat and chatted for a while, and then I noticed one of the dogs growling near my feet. Louie reassured me, "Oh, Pumpkin does this to all my guests," she said. "Its her way of telling the other dogs that you are hers now " Really!! I was wondering to what extent this big Pumpkin would go to to make me hers. 

After a short tour of the house, which, by the way, is immaculate, I took one dog bowl home from her plethora of bowls. (Later, I took another, but that's a different story.)

I took a video of  the place, thinking I must highlight the service this lady was doing to her community. In the course of the conversation we had, I asked her how she was financing it all. I know, from the expenses incurred for my own pets, it averages out to almost Rs 1000 per month. She said she was managing with her own resources and the generosity of a few friends. But, her income had dwindled and she was praying for sponsors to adopt the outside dogs so she could only concentrate on the 'inside' ones. 

I asked her if she had asked help from the panchayat or from any other NGO. She replied that she received no help for the food, only medical  assistance from her private vet Dr Astrid who sometimes helps neuter the dogs with sponsors and gives her time to clear the fees for other medical help. She has to beg and badger WVS for medical assistance and pay for it even though these are rescued dogs and strays from the streets.  As such, she ought to be given free neutering because she is looking after rescued dogs. 

I went home, saddened, friends. This lady  is alone, single-handedly looking after the dogs. No maid, no job. She even took a loan once to feed the dogs which she is unable to pay back. 

I thought about it a lot in the week that followed, asking her a lot of questions in order to fully understand her problem. The first thing I realised is that she is not willing to give up the inside dogs because  adoption with one dog failed miserably, leaving her heartbroken. Never again, she said, never again will I let my babies be tortured like that.  Others just didn't get adopted. 

And, from these conversations emerged the ANIMAL RESCUE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM. I suggested  that we find genuine sponsors for each of her dogs, beginning with the inside dogs first. I created a Facebook page to highlight our work and appeal for sponsors. 

Link to the page is https://www.facebook.com/animal.rescue.sponsorship.program.goa?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Even though the expenses per dog is around Rs 1000, we knew no one will put that much premium on an animal. So we decided on Rs 500. Even if that is difficult, we thought we could link two sponsors to each dog. 

I started networking for sponsorship among my friends and relatives because they know me. Who will give a stranger money? We were ready to take food items but everyone cannot send food to us from across the globe. 

Some generous donors gave a folding bed, paid up medical bills, sent money for dry dog food (which she feeds the dogs on days when she is unwell). One donor sent money for dog diapers, sponsoring her oldest who is 18 years old. One very kind person sent us money saying that my friend could use it for her personal needs. As if!

FOLDING BED DONATED
FOR OUTSIDE DOGS 

We have so far linked 4 dogs to sponsors. These sponsors have paid the money in installments, one on a monthly basis, another half yearly and a third for the whole year. One overseas sponsor sent us 60 AUD on quarterly basis, which we use for Brownie. 

We are praying for more sponsors as we need to reach the target of Rs 25000-30000 per month to pay for food and other expenses. 

FOOD ITEMS PER MONTH 

One person, when we showed the above list of items, queried why fish was on the list. I tried to explain but she seemed to think that I was running a scam. I told her that she was entitled to her opinion but should not make a judgement based on ignorance.

OTHER EXPENSES 

We invite people to first come and check the place out, to be assured that its not a scam. My friends know me, thank God, or they wouldn't support the cause. 

For those overseas, we can always arrange for live video at the premises so you see me and the dogs. Again, for privacy reasons, the rescuer has asked not to be publicised because she has been harassed by her neighbours. "NO ONE HELPS BUT EVERYONE POINTS A FINGER".  

In Goa, there is a racket going on with  animal rescuers showing their animals and inflated expenses are shown to eke money out of innocent people. Maybe the person who judged me has experienced such people or heard of them and so has judged my friend. 

To those who trust me and have come forward to help, thank you very much. To those with doubts - like Jesus, I say, COME AND SEE. To those who will not help, I urge you to find some cause that you can trust and please help there. We all can do our bit to heal our wounded world, can't we? 

This is me, Auriel, signing off as always with 

Gallery of INSIDE DOGS (yet to be sponsored) 

Gallery of OUTSIDE DOGS (for adoption/sponsorship)