KOCHI: Sreeju’s eyes were brimming with tears when he handed over the leash of his three-month-old pet dog Brownie to Rohit, a 10-year-old boy, who will be her new owner. Brownie met Sreeju, a law student at National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), during the recent floods, when it was adopted. But, their companionship was shortlived after their house owner raised an objection to having a dog at home. “He had no other way. When Sreeju got Brownie, she hadn’t even opened her eyes,” said Kala, Sreeju’s mother who accompanied him to the adoption drive conducted by Oneness, an NGO-based in the city on Sunday near Manglavanam at Kochi.
Though Brownie spent only a few months with them, they were inseparable. “She used to sleep with us and always shared the food. In a few days, she became a part of the family. If we had an option, we would not have given her away. But, we are happy to find a new family for her,” said Kala.
Every family which attended the meet had a similar tale. Like Ben who adopted Jacky, a six-year-old crossed Labrador dog.“Our dog, Tyson, died a year ago after being bitten by a snake. Since we are staying outside Kerala we needed a dog to guard our home. Tyson saved my father twice from snakes. He was a brave boy and we still miss him,” said Ben.But, another dog lover Bincy was at the venue to get a puppy dog to surprise her five-year-old daughter. Dog lovers from different parts of Kochi thronged the venue to adopt rescued dogs.
“We have received orders from more than 10 people from many places. We have a labrador and dachshund besides Indian breeds,” said Ashwini Prem, founder of Oneness.The rescued dogs are spayed and vaccinated so that they do not cause any problem for the owners.“There is no threat from these dogs. There are around 20 dogs brought here for adoption. Doctors at the Veterinary Hospital, Brahmapuram, ensured that the dogs brought to them are taken care of,” said Tishan, a volunteer from ‘Oneness’.