FETISH FOR FURS II

And this time it was dogs. All these years I looked upon dogs as cats’ enemies, though I had no personal grudge towards this faithful breed, I stayed away from them being over-protective for my cats. But now that I have shifted to a new place, and have no cats around me… I became quite friendly with the stray dogs of the building.

Frisbee, a female dog, often visited our neighbour who pampered her with rich diet and cozy blanket. White in colour, she shone like a pearl but only when given a bath. She had lots of fur on her body and fallen ears; her eyes were naughty and expressed more than a man’s eyes usually would. Even a sight of hers would light up my face, after a tiring day. First thing in the morning I would do was, go into the balcony and call out her name from the fourth floor. And there she would show her face on the ground floor with wagging tail and tongue.

As soon as she turned three, she gave birth to six puppies. Just out from mother’s womb, they were still curled up on each other, like a heap. These puppies were barely able open their eyes or walk; but they had managed to become a reason to smile for one and all in the building. Frisbee was a clever mother to have found a cozy corner in a basement parking to raise her puppies. Our neighbour, the Shahs were kind enough to provide a warm rug which kept the puppies warm in the month of November. Frisbee and her six puppies had become a common topic of conversation between me and Shahs.

They slowly grew up and started moving freely in the parking. It was risky as the drivers of the cars would barely notice small puppies sleeping under their car and there was a possibility of car running over them. And the day came when one of the puppies bore the brunt of deadly wheels. But then, it was Darwin’s theory of ‘survival of the fittest’. Good for the other five, they learnt their lessons hard.

Slowly they grew up and shifted base in the building courtyard. This became more risky as no sooner they crossed the gate they would land up on the main road. The security guard’s unwritten and unspoken rule included taking care if these puppies, not letting them out on the roads and save them from other stray dogs. But these guards would go a step further, would feed them and keep the bucket full with water. Brown, white, black and cream puppies had by now gained favoritism among all the people around them. Kids from our building and the neighbourhood would often treat them with milk, roti, rice, bread, and biscuits. Frisbee often got annoyed with us as we had plenty to feed her young ones but very little to her.

After frequent visits, they started recognizing me and would come running to me from a distance. Taking care of these puppies made our lives busy. Checking once or twice in a day and seeing five puppies intact gave relief. They made me feel belonged to them. Before I could pour milk into their plates they would start jumping on me. Small expressions like jumping and scratching showed their affection towards me. Now I understand the meaning of what one of my acquaintances once told me about his lost dog: he said, “She was not a dog, she was our family!”