RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: At a time when they themselves have to leave their houses and belongings with the water level rising in River Godavari at Polavaram project, people of submergence villages have shown their love for animals by going to the rescue of stray dogs. Tribals and non-tribals of the submergence villages in Devipatnam and Thoyyeru were shifted to the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Colony at Sri Krishnudipalem a few days ago.
When some people went to their villages to get their belongings on Wednesday, they found the stray dogs, which are solely dependent on the food provided by locals, starving. They were seen barking nonstop as the backwaters of Godavari submerged most part of the villages. Moved by their plight, they had decided to shift the stray dogs to a safer place. But the road connectivity to the villages was completely cut off.
Rs 10,000 pooled to shift stray dogs
Devipatnam sarpanch Rajamani and his friends pooled Rs 10,000 and engaged a mechanised boat and dog catchers from Korukonda to shift the strays from the submergence villages. Some youngsters formed a committee and they too chipped in by procuring nets and other relief material.
They later went to Devipatnam and Thoyyeru villages along with dog catchers in the mechanised boat. About 200 stray dogs were caught using nets and brought to Dandanti village in the mechanised boat. Later, the stray dogs were freed after offering them food as they were starving. “It took two hours to reach the submergence villages by boat and shift the stray dogs to the safer place,’’ the sarpanch said.