COIMBATORE: People travelling on the Nanjundapuram road near Ramanathapuram often get amused at the sight of an elderly man cycling with a dog in the carrier and seven others strutting alongside him. This is D Sathyanathan, a security guard in a private firm, who also happens to be the ‘father’ of eight stray dogs in his locality.
TNIE’s photo journalist S Senbagapandiyan spotted Sathyanathan when he was pedalling with his companions to the nearest meat shop. Sathyanathan separated from his family decades ago and lives alone on Nanjundapuram Road. He took an interest in caring for stray dogs 40 years ago. In the beginning, it was just one or two dogs and the number increased with time. “I used to rear goats and pigeons as a child, which sowed the seeds of love for animals in my mind. I believe this triggered me to look after stray dogs,” Sathyanathan recalls.
Despite his old age and failing health, he now takes care of eight dogs in the locality and treats them like they are his children. Recalling his bond with the dogs, he told TNIE, “I feed food and biscuits to these dogs after returning from work every day. I spend between Rs 2,000 - Rs 2,500 every month from my salary of Rs 12,000 on them.
On my salary day, I sometimes buy chicken biryani and ice cream for them as a special treat. Since my house does not have enough space to accommodate them, I took permission from the local temple to shelter the dogs there. I cover them with bedsheets at night to protect them from cold and mosquito bites, before I go to work.” “After noticing my bond with the animals, locals appreciate me and some even buy food for the dogs,” he added.