Dr. Kuhu Roy writes,
November
is here. I have tweaked the 'Adopt a Senior Dog' to 'Adopt a Senior Stray Dog'
Month. They are the most marginalized and considered only shelter worthy.
All the jewels with frosted faces who have come
home to me; Dharmendra, Bada Kaan, Sundae, Disco, Delma, Mohini, Shyam, Amma,
Rapunzel, Deepu, Georgina, Jalebi, Tweeky, Orange, Ascites Rani, Stephanie,
Nimmi, Tri Babu, Kaanu, Christopher, Alisha, Chamgi, Sheru, Guchguch, Fruit
Laali, Dixa Babu, Bhaalu, Mamu, Baldev, White Collar, Mallika, Junior and
Matalu, their past had one commonality; they all were either forgotten when
they grew old and hence considered redundant or were ready for dispatch to a
shelter as the final act of mercy. Man's best friend on the streets betrayed by
man himself when they need us the most.
With my senior brigade, all rescued strays, I have
lived those stories with them, watched them transform with home coming, made
the most of the very limited time we had together, even just days in some
cases. I keep repeating what I always say, a shelter is no place for a senior
stray dog, a home is or the street itself that they have known as their home
all their life.
That's my Rapunzel, who was ousted from her
premises when she grew very old. She was retrieved from a shelter and brought
home on my mother's birthday five years ago.
PS Adopting a senior is very addictive, regardless
of the anticipatory grief that we marry by choice and the challenges that come
with their aging. This love is so unique, it can never be described, just felt.
