Faithful dogs wait 32 hrs for master’s return
CHENNAI: The building crash at Porur may have drawn several curious onlookers from many parts of the city, but there were two souls that faithfully watched over the rescue mission, night and day, through sunshine and rain, for over 32 hours.
The heart wrenching story of Hachiko, the Japanese dog that waited for his master for 10 years, melted even the strongest of hearts but we need not look too far, for such examples of love and faithfulness could be seen at the recent crash site.
The sorry story of the city’s own Hachikos – two female Indian pups at the crash site - swayed every rescue worker, policeman, onlooker, and press person at the site.
Since the mishap occurred, these two little dogs tasted not a morsel of food nor a drop of water but stood watching in close proximity, their eyes focused on the rubble, waiting for their family to be rescued.
The intimidated dogs were not very friendly and it was only after midnight on Sunday that respite from the vain wait could be found when workers from the Blue Cross of India managed to make friends with the agitated animals. Two hours of coaxing and cajoling passed before one of the girls gave vent to her feelings and rested on the lap of Dawn Williams, General Manager, Blue Cross of India, and the other one also followed suit.
Through the rain Williams and another volunteer, Daniel, spoke kindly to the wimping dogs, petted them, dried them, and carried them off to safety. Every policeman, fire services and NDRF personnel, and onlooker in the vicinity patted the dogs as they were carried away from the site.
One of the policemen, moved by the display of absolute love by the dogs, donated a few bucks for their welfare and another policeman wiped the dogs’ wet faces.
“Their owners may have been poor coolies but there is no question of the love that they had showered upon them. Even if it was sack cloth, comfortable beds were laid out. To appease them we had to gain their trust”, said Williams.
On the Blue Cross premises at Velachery, the fretting dogs were comforted and fed. One puppy is approximately six to seven months old, and the other is eight to 10 months. They will be nursed back to health and be put up for adoption at the Blue Cross of India.
As traumatised as victims of the disaster are, more so is the agony of these faithful animals. Until a new family adopts these little ones, the hope is the next heavy rain storm they see, brings showers of love and...tail wags!