KOCHI: Balmy breeze swept over the tranquil backwaters off Rajendra Maidan in Kochi as the sunset sky blushed with a pinkish-orange hue. All of a sudden, with an endearing woof, a spate of cuteness was unleashed on the park.
Located opposite the Ernakulam Siva Temple, the iconic open space came alive with perky pooches wagging their tails, barking and basking in human love. Hundreds of pet parents and curious dog lovers in the city converged at Rajendra Maidan on Sunday to celebrate Kerala’s first ‘pet park’ concept.
Initiated by Pawsome, a community for pet parents, the idea is to make available outdoor space for dogs in the city, where most open spaces and parks are not quite pet-friendly. Started by Dona Denny and Aishwarya Nandilath, Pawsome was born out of a conversation on where to take out their doggos for an outing in the city. Following a discussion with GCDA, an arrangement was made to have Rajendra Maidan open for dogs on Sundays from 8am to 10am and 5pm to 7pm.
Kudos to GCDA and other authorities for making the plan a reality. It was evident on Sunday that Kochiites have embraced the idea. Dogs were living in the moment, busy fetching discs, sniffing, and asking for more petting. And, besides pet parents, dog lovers who don’t have one due to personal constraints were seen indulging the four-legged VIPs of the evening, one after the other. It was a full-on public display of affection, patting, cuddling and coochie-cooing.
“There’s no such thing as too much puppy love,” says Dona Denny, co-founder of Pawsome. “The concept of a dog park is common outside Kerala. When the idea was proposed to GCDA, they happily accepted it. A dedicated space not only makes the dogs happy, but also helps pet parents and dog lovers interact, and build a community.”
Dona has a point. On Sunday, we came across numerous visitors interacting and bonding with pet parents. Moreover, Dona adds, spending time with dogs can be a stress-buster. “It uplifts one’s spirits,” she says.”Coming here and spending time with these fur balls, even if it’s for a short while, can have a pleasant, soothing effect.”
Shih Tzus Charley and Cherry, Bailey the Labrador, Jeremy the Beagle, Pari the bolster-like labrador, Rex the German Shepherd, and Sandy the Cocker Spaniel were happily socialising and, in fact, managed to divert some humans’ attention away from their phones. Sudheev, an IT professional, concurs with Dona. “A welcoming space like this will at least give people a chance to interact and see how warm dogs actually are,” he says, while his toy poodle, Coco, explores the park. “A lot of misconceptions and the fear of dogs can be dispelled.”
With a bushy tail and a blue hairpin on her head, Alexa, a husky, drew a lot of curious, cautious onlookers. “Although our society is becoming more progressive, taking a dog for a walk is often met with disdain,” says her mother, Lakshmi Ashok. “This initiative brings together like-minded people. The dogs also feel safe and happy. It’s an opportunity for them, too, to interact with other breeds.”
Notably, the pet park event drew dog lovers from other districts, too. Among them was Thrissur native Ajith M R with his Belgian Malinois Nasa and Kiara. “They are well-trained. Since they can get aggressive, the trainers have also come along,” he says. Besides puppy love, the evening saw activities such as animal flow, slacklining, kite-flying, and also a pet adoption drive. Taking note of the success, the organisers plan to host adoption drives regularly here.
“I have always wanted a dog,” says Gayathri Dev, a 21-year-old beautician, who adopted an indie pup. “I had a sudden urge to take one home after seeing the environment here.” Animal Rescue Kochi founder Sajith Shajan is relieved to see an increase in adoptions. “It’s a challenge to find an apt venue for adoption drives. Thanks to Pawsome and GCDA, we hope to hold drives on a weekly or monthly basis at Rajendra Maidan,” he says.
Responsible parenting
Though the canines are friendly, concerns regarding their temperament remain. “It is solely the responsibility of the pet owner. A dog’s temperament depends largely on its upbringing, conditioning,” says Dona. “We have made it clear that only pets that are used to social settings and are calm should be brought. Ones that aren’t used to social settings should first be familiarised with people before bringing them to a large public space.” Pet parents are urged to keep the park clean. Waste bins have been provided, and pet parents must bring a garbage bag to dispose of litter.