Life as a pariah sees it

I am Moti, a pariah. Peep into my life and find out what it is like to survive on the streets. It bewilders me to see that if dog lovers can shower love and affection on their pedigree pets, then why not on us?
Survival in sewer of food
I begin my day in the morning around 6 am when I am kicked and shooed away by the sweepers. I shake myself out of my slumber and then the search for finding tid bits begins. Some days, I find stale bread, rotis, mutton bones, and when luck is on my side, I also find a half-eaten chicken or langar plates to lick from. But all this never comes easy. For each bite I have to compete with other dogs, may even get bitten or snapped at, but that’s life, my friend, for us street dogs, we have to grab it before someone else takes it.
Not all days are bad. Some days I come across kind families that feed me milk and biscuits. Some even pat me on my head, play with me, and say loving words.

Why this difference?

I am amazed to see the amount of food people throw away. If only they could feed me and my friends with this food, life would be so much easier for us. But then I think, maybe it’s God’s way of providing us with food.

Weather wraths we face
The most difficult and tough times are in winter when we have to shiver and cuddle against each other for warmth, when we have to hunt for water and drink from dirty drains. We have to take shelter from heat and rain under cars and quite often we are crushed under the very car we take shelter under.

Sick or old – Nobody cares
We are not asking you to take us into your homes but can’t we just sleep outside your homes and be given a meal a day? But I must admit my life on the streets has made me tough to face the hardships of life. It teaches us not just to fight but also about the benefits of sharing and caring with my friends. Running carefree with them, tugging at them, playing with them or barking at and chasing a car together.

I pray for warmth and love
I don’t mind being reborn as a dog in my next life, but can God be just a little bit partial and give me a better life? Can I have the taste of both lives – one outside on the streets and one inside where I am surrounded with warmth, love and happiness? Well, it seems a dream but you never know...

Story source:
www.dogsandpupsmagazine.com
www.facebook.com/Dogsandpupsmag


Reader stories
Babu is my angel pet, my ‘toy joy’
The world of animals is fascinating. I believe pets enter our lives at crucial moments – happy or sad. I consider Babu as my angel pet. He came to my life when I was emotionally disturbed and was undergoing a series of ups and downs. He has brought stability, and showered me with love and affection. I cherish his companionship. I consider him to be my lucky charm as his comforting presence helped me clear a very tough exam. I’m so much in awe of him. Babu entered my life as soon as I got a cat tattoo done! So I find a deep sense of connection with him which is inexplicable. The sound of his purr and the softness of his fur make him my complete ‘toy joy’.
— Aditi Dube, Lucknow

Rico filled our home with colours
I’m Ishika and my pet is a parrot. His name is Rico. He is the most beautiful parrot I’ve seen. His beak has an amazing lustre, his feathers are shiny green. Rico loves eating pulses. When he came to our home, our lives were filled with colours. Rico keeps reciting mithoo the whole day. Once, some guests came to our house and my dad let Rico out. He sat on one of the guests’ head. That guy was shivering and then Rico pooped! We couldn’t stop laughing.
Then one day when I returned home from school, my mom told me Rico was gone – he flew away. It’s been an year since he has gone but I’m still hoping some day Rico will come back to me.
— Ishika Baisoya, Ghaziabad

Alex changed my life

I have a cute German Shepherd puppy named Alex. He plays with me and loves me a lot. I love him too. My whole life has changed after adopting Alex. He climbs on us and licks and bites our fingers – our clothes too.
My parents and my sister love him too.
— Anushka Pandit

Are you a proud pet parent? Have a cute cat story to share? Maybe your guinea pig is giving you trouble? Whatever is your creature companion,
we are here to listen to you. Mention your full name and your city, and send your photos, queries and stories to [email protected]

- By Bhavani Sundaram