Some Sad News

Dear Friends,
Thank you very much for all your Diwali Wishes. We would like you to know that we had a wonderful time. We were just readying our post-Diwali write-up when something else came up.

Remember our friend from the street we had written about earlier? The little handsome pup who decided to be our friend?

We have named him ‘Woof’. Not a ‘proper-name’ sort of name but just an endearment we like to call him by.

Anyway, Woof came by for his dinner 3 days back looking a little forlorn. He comes by everyday for some snacks in the evening and for dinner at around 9 PM every night. In the mornings, Mummy gives him his breakfast on her way to work.
He seems to know exactly when Mummy and Daddy are back and would wait at our gate, if they are sometimes later than usual. He is usually his exuberant self, hopping up and down and trying to nibble at Mummy’s fingers and toes and is a bundle of energy.
That night, Mummy was instantly alerted when he came for dinner a little less active than usual. Daddy soon found a large wound, not looking very good at the base of his tail.
In all likelihood, it may have been a bad bite wound that was getting infected.
Poor thing! He must have been in pain.
Daddy dressed the wound,applied some medication and started an anti-biotic. Thankfully, it was out of reach for his very busy puppy teeth and paws.
We felt really very sad and worried. Not about the wound really. The wound would heal with medication.
It was Rabies we were worried about. He was un-vaccinated and definitely the dog that bit him was un-vaccinated too. But the only consolation was that there aren’t any rabid dogs running around. But there is always the danger of a carrier, though rare.
Mummy vaccinated him the next afternoon, all his shots, including against tetanus too. We think she should have done it earlier. We really don't know why she didn't. No point feeling sorry now.
Thankfully, he was fine the next morning, very active, hungry and very co-operative when he got the needles stuck into him too.
Such a sweet little guy!
We decided to watch him carefully for any change in behaviour, food habits or any signs of aggression or lethargy which may mean he is not well.
Mummy did not let us near him for fear of us catching something, even though we are fully vaccine protected. But we feel horrible watching him fight it out alone in the street.
Thankfully, he seemed fine. His wound was healing well and he had a healthy appetite too.
He was getting smart though, refusing to swallow his medicine! But Poor little Boy, Mummy would mix it with an irresistible sweet and he would just have to gulp it down!
He even came over for Diwali sweets yesterday and Mummy had given him a double dinner as a treat! He seemed totally un-affected by the sounds of crackers all around us.We were relieved. He was recovering.
And then tonight, he came for dinner limping horribly. He seemed in pain and looked forlorn.
Mummy checked him all over. His joints aren’t displaced, nor does he have any fracture. But his front, left paw hurts.
No bite marks this time. So probably it is a sprain. If it is just that, it will heal. But if he has some other infection, it will mean he will need constant care. Sometimes, a limp is the first sign in some viral infections. The only saving grace is that he has no fever as yet.

We are worried and feeling very horrible. If only he could tell. Was he hit by some vehicle, kicked at  by someone? We certainly hope not. We don’t want him to be disillusioned about humans yet. He is just a puppy and we want to find him  a loving home.
The Poor little boy came looking for us in spite of his painful paw. He still tried to jump up and down and play with Mummy.
It is always so touching…

We could understand how bad his pain was when he sat down flat on his tummy and had his dinner. And then just refused to get up, lying down looking very, very tired.
It is so heart-rending, the way he seems to trust her so totally. He let her turn him over and feel his joints without even a little snap. He even let her carry him over to a Is it because, inspite of being on the streets, he is still a puppy at heart or is it because he really understands that Mummy loves him very much and feels really very horrible that we can’t give him a proper home?
We wish there was some way out, somehow to be able to give him a loving home. The people he sleeps with at night aren’t really taking any care of him and it isn’t really a proper home.

We couldn’t send him out into the street tonight. He was looking just so sad and really needed a bed. Mummy made him a make-shift one with some old cushions and bed-covers.
He seems happy with his bed and is fast asleep now, in a corner of our garden. There is this little dog-kennel we never use except to keep Daddy’s gardening tools and fertilizers. It will protect him from the cold wind, we hope. Mummy didn’t have the heart to flash the camera on his face now, so we don’t have any recent pictures. But we will click some tomorrow, if Woof feels better.

We feel rather upset and very guilty to think of Woof outside in the garden while we lie on our warm beds here. But, much as we want to bring him in, we have to consider that he might have some dangerous infection which can pass on to us.
We need to confirm. Tomorrow, Mummy & Daddy plan to take him to the local shelter. This shelter doubles as a vet-hospital and home for abandoned and maimed animals. It is no-kill, no cage. So there is absolutely no chance that they will ever take in a healthy street dog and give it a home.
Woof will get his treatment for now and if they agree to take him in as a permanent resident, he will have a better life than being on the streets.
It is difficult to let him go, but we have to be realistic. We can’t just get him accustomed to three square meals  a day and then, after a few months, just leave him to fend for himself.
YES! Leave. We are planning to shift away soon but that is another story for sometime later.
If we can’t bring him home, at least we can try find him a home. Woof is such a lovely, loving and brave boy, He deserves a good life.

We just hope he forgives us for not adopting him.
But we know he will, he is a DOG, isn’t he?
That is what is so heart-rending…
GINGER & BUDDY