MUMBAI: You never know when the wheel of fortune will turn. Two blind puppies, born on the streets of Ghatkopar, moved into a cosy home in Haryana recently. The male pups, born of one litter, have been adopted by a couple who were scouting for a “special needs” pet. The two canines—Swami and Yogi—were taken in by the family from Ambala as the two were “terribly attached”.
What makes the adoption of these stray canines unusual is that Indie dogs are in little demand in our country. Worse still, there are few takers for a pet with a physical challenge. So, it was incredible when the young couple opened their hearts to two blind Indie dogs, points out Vini Kalgutkar who was instrumental in getting this adoption done.
From the ragtag life on the squalid streets of Mumbai, the puppies now romp about in the adoptive family’s home, sniff around their garden, potter around the backyard since they moved in a fortnight ago.
“They’ve settled in. It took them a couple of days… They follow us everywhere,” trills Niveda, talking about the two “babies”. By now, Swami and Yogi have already explored their new home. “Their sense of smell and sound is unbelievable,” adds Niveda. “By now, they have sniffed around and mapped the house.”
She and her husband, Satiya, are opposed to buying pets. Having lost their pet earlier this year, they were keen to adopt a dog with special needs. “For us, such a dog is normal,” says Satiya. “And then, don’t such dogs need shelter more than others?”
The pups were rescued from Ghatkopar earlier this year by Project Meher, an NGO. While the task of getting them a new home began, their volunteers, Rebecca Vincent and Murtaza, fostered the two puppies in Mumbai Central for seven months. “The pups were terribly attached, and we did not have the heart to separate them,” said Rebecca.
People from the US and UK were ready to accept them, but getting both into one home was tough, said Vini. A flurry of posts on social media helped, says Vini, thankful for that call from Ambala. A few formalities later, Swami and Yogi hopped aboard a pet ambulance and braved the 34-hour road trip to Ambala.
They’re “intelligent boys with amazing inner vision”, says Satiya. “They will walk into the bedroom, take those few steps and then just jump into the bed,” he points out.
The couple is happy with the addition to their family, says Niveda, adding, “Swami and Yogi have added more life to our home.”