Buddy is a weird hybrid if there ever was one. A cross between a lab and a daschund, (we aren't quite sure which is the mother and which the father) he has imbued the best of both breeds. He is the size and shape of a daschund with the color and temperament of a golden Labrador. But sometimes bad things happen to good dogs and Buddy had till now been dealt a raw deal in life. 2 months ago he was abandoned at our shelter by owners who had a story that was constantly changing. Luckily though a young woman who was visiting the shelter to adopt a pet immediately offered for him and convincing us that she is a good home after the usual grilling session she took Buddy home.

When Friendicoes staff went for the first house check they found the address to be a tiny little attic room in a back lane of a small and less known part of Delhi, something which was in contradiction to what the woman had told us. Worse was to come when they found the door locked and barred. Upon enquiry they found that the woman was seldom at home and would take Buddy out with her but sometimes wouldn't bring him back for days on end even when she herself had returned! Add to this the facts that the neighborhood did not seem pet friendly and the girl was not answering her phone and it was every animal lover's night mare. Several unanswered texts and missed calls later we realized that we would have to make another visit to find Buddy. On the following Sunday a team of three went back to find Buddy and this time we were in luck!

But what hit us first was the smell, a sharp stench emanating from the open common bathroom, then the, loud music blasting from an open window and finally we heard the barking of a dog. Vandana, the woman opened the door and an excited Buddy leapt right into our arms. She invited us in and on questioning her we learnt that she works 12 hours a day at a call center and would leave Buddy with different friends at different places while she was out. This instability was unhealthy for an already insecure & abandoned dog and so we had to make the hard decision of confiscating Buddy. To her credit Vandana really seemed to love him and understood our point of view. She did not create a fuss but rather said a quiet goodbye to Buddy.

Now after 2 false starts, Buddy has been third time lucky. His new family adores him and he has made friends with the other dog in the family, a blind Pekingese named Madhav, who has a cute personality of his own. In fact Madho has started imitating Buddy's behavior - both good and bad. When we went for the next house check Mrs. Chakraborty had many interesting tales to tell about Buddy. Apparently that mad canine has a fondness for sprite and sleeps at night only if he is tied to the bedpost. She also proudly told us that Buddy had proved to be a loyal companion. One day while she was out walking the 2 dogs, a stray dog had attacked her and while Madho had cowered in a corner Buddy had stood up to the dog that was almost twice his size. And so on. Buddy has lost none of his enthusiasm or lust for life and in all the pictures we took of him all you can see is a golden streak. His boundless energy and hyper active nature are a joy to behold.and he makes an excellent companion and pet, living up to his name.Buddy.

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