CHENNAI : Ever entered a mall with a shopping bag, but left with a box of puppies and kittens? Shoppers at Forum Vijaya Mall were in for a pleasant surprise on Sunday evening, as the mall, in association with The Blue Cross of India (BCI), and Palazzo Cinemas presented the fourth edition of ‘Adoptathon’. “I already adopted two Indian mongrels about three years ago. Now, I have adopted my third child,” said Srinivas, a media professional.
Dawn Williams, residential general manager of BCI, said he “lives with animals day and night”. “They make us better beings. They have everything that we look for — the bark of a Shpard, the heart of a Saint Bernard, the spots of a Dalmatian and the size of a Schnauzer.,” he said.Talking about the dearth of people coming forward to adopt Indian dogs, Sasha, a 14-year-old volunteer said, “There is a wide notion and an image which has been created by social media that the other breeds are better and endearing. But, when you look at any dog from the bottom of your heart, they are all the same. So, why discriminate Indian dogs?”
“Regardless of how healthy a stray or Indian mongrel is, the generic term used for a stray here is ‘sori naai’. People’s perception should change. In the last four years, I have noticed a 20 per cent to 30 per cent change in people’s mindset. But there’s a long way to go,” she shared.In a span of two hours, 77 puppies and 27 kittens were adopted, and Dr Ramanujam Siva, chief vet with BCI said, “It is a record! Previously, we had about 100 adoptions in a different adoptathon. This has surpassed that number. We worked for almost a month before this adoption drive, selecting, segregating, grooming and deworming the puppies. It was a laborious process, but worth it. Adoption drives in public spaces are ways to encourage the public to adopt Indian mongrels.”
BCI will host its annual ‘The Great Indian Dog Show’ in August. Siva gave us a peek into what’s in store. “We will have models walking the ramp with the Indian dogs and even puppies. There will be 30-40 awards categorically given to the dogs, and of course, we will also have an adoption drive, which will include abandoned pedigree dogs,” he shared.BCI will also set up an exclusive adoption lounge in their shelter. “The work is in progress and we will have a separate space for adoption. It will be a space to socialise and share knowledge on Indian dogs, adoption and more,” he added.