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 The five week old mutt tussles excitedly with the ragged blanket. As I look on, he throws himself into a one sided battle of tug of war. The threadbare cloth is his opponent and his comrade, the dumpster behind my house, his ‘glorious’ arena. The heap of garbage…his comfort, his refuge, his fate. I giggle as the innumerable droplets of foamy drool spewing in all directions seem to favor me as their target. His eyes, big and intelligent dart up for a split second. his focus on the task at hand remaining unmoved. I look upon his momentary glance at me as nothing short of serendipitous. Because it was those big intelligent eyes that caused my mind to plunge into a flurry of thoughts.
Possibly one of the most frequently viewed oxymoron today is that of the ‘breed conscious dog lover’. Every second person one encounters today claims to be a passionate dog lover. Yes, their love is boundless. Boundless within the impenetrable periphery of the well bred pedigrees. One can try to ease their own conscience by convincing themselves that these “good genes” are merely to ensure that their dog is healthy and happy.
But who’s to say that the mongrel, so many of us refer to as the “stray dog” doesn’t make as healthy and happy a pet as a pure bred Labrador? Or that the five week old puppy that I watched sliding around in the dumpster couldn’t happily be lazing in a lush garden one summer morning even a decade from now?
 The very extent of prejudice which is borne by man while deciding the fate of his ‘best friend’ is simply appalling. The evolution of the dog, it can be called? Quite the contrary actually. For the metamorphosis has seen the loyal ball of fur which we once loved unconditionally, become a mere status symbol. And that brings up another vital point. Not only do we dismiss half the canine population as not being “good enough” breeds, but we also judge the pedigrees by the amount we spent to buy them. Eons of activism, condemning human traffic as savage . and yet in this act of sheer hypocrisy we subject animals to the derogatory process of judging the value of their life, and putting a price on it. Not only have we plummeted headfirst to the Nadir of humanity, but we seem callously ignorant of this as well.
This is not to say that purebreds should be boycotted. For that is equally inhumane. We must break away the barriers of rigidity that cause us to look upon two different, and yet exactly the same dogs in such starkly contrasting ways.
I walk to the dumpster and lit up the scruffy stray. His eyes, big and intelligent hold mine. A soft playful growl resonates from within his throat, as we venture into my house. into his new life. A decade later, he would still be there, stretching lazily in the garden. Happy, content, loved, having defied his “fate”.and all because of the serendipity of that one glance up.
by Ambika Kaushik
Posted in Adoptions
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Tagged adoption, puppy
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AAA Inc Donates Keen
For the working equines of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh the year 2009 brought with it lovely gifts in the form of 535 keens and a new water trough at a brick kiln in Ballabgarh in Haryana. The friends who made these possible were Janet Thomas and Adele Anile of Animal Aid Abroad Inc from Australia. They spent two days visiting the Friendicoes SECA shelter and sanctuary and the different Working Equine stands and brick kilns in Delhi and Haryana, along with the Friendicoes SECA Mobile Equine Clinic Team and understood the need of these animals who are often mistreated and abused and rarely appreciated for the service they provide us humans.
The 5350 keens donated by them were distributed at different brick kilns and Tonga stands by the Friendicoes SECA Mobile Equine Clinic team. The keens which are like padded quilts go a long way to provide relief to the animal from the pressure of its load and prevents saddle sores which are often the result of ropes and loads cutting into the back of the animal.
Janet and Adele also gifted the animals with a water trough at one of the brick kilns which did not have a source for drinking water for the donkeys and mules who work 8-10 hours in the heat of the day without any rest and water. The new water trough has come as a life line to these poor beasts of burden who often collapse due to dehydration and heat stroke. Our heartfelt gratitude to Janet and her team for their generosity and kind Donation.
They say that if a dog’s back is broken or his hind legs have been paralyzed, there is really not much hope for it. And this becomes even truer if the dog in question is a homeless stray with no one to care for it. But some strays are lucky, because they are brought to Friendicoes, where there is hope for every dog, even in the most dilapidated state! This is the story of one such lucky dog, Sparky, a victim of rash driving in Delhi.
Anuradha Dutt, who feeds the strays around her home in Gurgaon, brought in Sparky after she discovered him cowering in a corner, unable to move. He had been hit by a speeding car and was severely injured. Upon examination, the Friendicoes vet realized that both of Sparky’s hind legs had broken, which resulted in paralysis. There seemed no hope for the poor fellow. But Ms Anuradha was not ready to give up on him. She saw a “spark” in his eyes that she just could not ignore. She had faith that Sparky as she went on to name him, was strong enough to fight back his injury and survive life irrespective of the injury in his hind legs. So after much discussion with the vet and a study of similar cases she decided to buy him a wheel cart that would help him move around irrespective of his paralyzed hind quarters.
So with the help of Friendicoes, Anuradha bought Sparky a wheel cart which turned out to be a hit. From the very beginning Sparky was very taken in with his “new friend” which was his hope to life. He instantly got used to it, and proudly trotted away for his first walk, nose high up in the air, flaunting his new gift to everyone on the road.
It’s been 3 months since the accident, and Sparky is now a permanent resident at the Friendicoes shelter in Delhi. He was nursed back to health by the Friendicoes staff, and with regular monitoring by the vet, he has recovered beautifully from the accident. Visitors to the shelter can see Sparky in his element riding his “new cart” happily chasing other dogs and welcoming volunteers for treats and a pat. Sparky got a new lease on life with just a little kindness and love on the part of Anuradha and Friendicoes.
Help us give the strays of Delhi a better life. Donate today.
Posted in Treatments
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Tagged dog, wheels
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Monsoon Greetings!
For the past few years Friendicoes has been making a dedicated effort to help animals outside of our home range of the NCR. A few years a go we started an animal feeding program in the Andaman Islands and we also run a mobile equine clinic to help working horses, donkeys and mules along the Delhi -Agra hi-way. This year we set our sights a little higher and made our way to the Himalayas. From the 24th to the 30th of May 2010 a small team from Friendicoes comprising of Dr.Abhishek and 3 experienced Para -vets conducted an intensive spay -neuter program in the Almora district of Uttarakhand. Smita Joshi a long time Friendicoes volunteer and a native of Almora organized the camp by raising funds to cover the travel, stay and medical expenses we incurred.
Over the course of 6 days the team successfully operated on a total of 76 dogs from the district. Ms. Kamini Kashyap from Almora helped organize operation theatres in the form of 4 empty rooms in a newly built but yet unopened shopping mall. 14 government veterinary officers from around the region also got a chance to watch the Friendicoes staff at work and gain knowledge on spay and neuter procedures. These operations are quite rare in this area and the vets were very appreciative of what they learnt from the FS team.
The team additionally visited several villages in the area to answer animal care queries, give anti-rabies vaccine to the dogs and de-worm the cattle. They also made a day trip to Nainital to vaccinate and medicate a number of sickly cats. The group finally returned on the 30th morning, tired but satisfied with their work.
We can safely say that this camp was a roaring (or rather a barking) success, and we take our hats off to the efforts of Smita, her family and Kamini as well as those who donated to the cause. Controlling stray dog population in Almora will go a long way in ensuring a healthy canine population in the district. We hope to continue our work in places outside of Delhi and provide a brighter future to animals across the country. We encourage all of you to raise funds and organize similar camps in your hometowns as well.
For more information contact Mr. Gautam Barat @ 9811324649
Sterilization Drive at Delhi Cantonment
After one year of perseverance, Friendicoes SECA has joined hands with the Indian Army to run a Animal Birth Control Unit at the Capital’s Army base – Delhi Cantonment. This initiative was spearheaded by Col. (Dr) Rajat Srivastava on behalf of the armed forces. An avid dog lover he has been a driving force behind the project.
After getting necessary permissions from the top brass of the army and convincing them of the importance of sterilization, the project was then handed over to Col. Lakshmikant of Remount Veterinary Corps. who set up the ABC unit in a bungalow opposite the base hospital. The unit is spacious and an ideal place to carry out the operations and hold the dogs for postoperative care.
The project was formally inaugurated on the 20th of October by the General Officer Commanding, Delhi Cant and Major General Kharb, Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India. A host of other dignitaries also attended the event.
Friendicoes aims to sterilize 1800 dogs over the course of 1 year. Dr. Rathore of Friendicoes is the vet in charge of carrying out the operations with the help of one Para vet and one helper, to look after the canines post operative care. Gautam Barat, co founder, Friendicoes said “Till date 175 dogs have already been sterilized and safely released back in to their territories. We are delighted to be involved in this project and hope to continue a working relationship with the armed forces for the welfare of stray
Golden Oldie
 “Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.” – Sydney Jeanne Seward Tethered to a side post with a dirty leash, on the busy road outside Friendicoes .that’s how Goldie now renamed Shaggy was abandoned by his inhuman owners. And for what? All for an ear infection that was easily curable? Or for old age which we all will face sometime soon?
A golden spaniel in his later years, named Goldie for the colour of his coat, he came with a shaggy coat, matted and dirty, and an ear infection that hinted at the lack of care. Quiet and dignified, as demanded by his age, Goldie would not easily be won over. But he was always open for a treat. He lived 2 months at the shelter where he was treated for his ear infection and was groomed to within an inch of his life Goldie soon won hearts with his good looks and manners. One look at him and the questions would be “How old is he? Can we adopt him?”. The moment they heard “he is about 8-10 years old” you would see the interest waning.
Nobody wanted a dog who had not very long to live and go through the trauma of losing him just as he settles down in your heart. So Goldie sat at the shelter and waited for that one home who would put his needs before their own. And very soon his prayers were answered when Rajdeep Singh of Faridabad came forward to give him a home. Renamed Shaggy by his new family, this elderly Spaniel is now living with his own doting family and you are welcomed with a happy “woof woof” when you go visiting.
A Whole Lotta Fizz!
A ginger streak flies past your eyes stopping only to take a quick nip at your toes. Fast as lightening she disappears under the bed, only to emerge on the other side and pounce on a sleeping dog. Then once again she is gone, hiding from imaginary enemies and stalking non-existent prey..
It was a blistering June day when a kind stranger brought in a litter of 5 kittens to the Friendicoes city shelter. The babies were barely two week old, their eyes were glued shut and secreting a nasty yellow substance, their stomachs were bloated and their legs spindly. He had found them in a gutter near his house when their incessant mewling had attracted him. On the front street was the carcass of their mother, run over by a speeding car. With no experience of handling cats, he had done the only thing he could and had brought them to the shelter. The staff on duty immediately, bundled the kittens in to a cat carrier and tried to feed them some milk from a syringe. It would be near impossible to give these babies the kind of attention they required when there were another 200 animals to tend to. Luckily that very evening, one of our long time volunteers, Tiya came in to the shelter, took one look at the helpless litter and decided to take them home.
Unfortunately the going was tough, the kittens were emaciated and had a bad eye infection and the doctors gave them little chance of surviving. Mean while Tiya was kept on her toes constantly, feeds by syringe every 4 hours, eye drops twice a day, medication thrice a day and a round the clock vigil. In the week that followed, Tiya barely slept more than 5 hours at a stretch and gave up on any kind of social life she had. However, on day four she woke up to find that the runt of the litter had died over night. That day she took a good hard look at the remaining four and realized that they still looked weak and their appetites were dangerously low. In the evening she took them to the vet who decided to put to sleep another one of the babies.
 Euthanasia is a terrible thing, both blessing and curse for to make the decision to end a life is heart breaking but sometimes necessary.
The remaining three kittens continued to get as much attention as Tiya could afford but while one grew exponentially, gaining weight, grooming herself and eating greedily, the other two continued to flounder. A few days later she took them back to the vet and noting their poor condition the weaker two were also put to sleep. Left with just one ginger baby, Tiya doubled her efforts adding more vitamins to the already long list of supplements she was giving the kitten. Somehow, this miracle baby pulled through when her four siblings couldn’t. Her initially scarce fur grew in to a thick pelt, she became proportionate, started eating solid food and a mischievous glint entered her eyes.
2 months later, this little girl has grown to be the apple of every ones eye. She rules over Tiya’s family like the pampered Princess she is and is just as bossy with Tiya’s other cats and dogs. She sleeps like an angel, plays like a devil and doesn’t want to be left alone for even a minute. Keeping in account her sparkly personality and her will to live, she is now known as Fizz. Fizz keeps the household in constant uproar with her endless antics and games. Already, in her short life she has found herself a permanent place in Tiya’s home and heart. As for us at Friendicoes, we pray that our volunteers and staff never lose their fizz, that special spark that enables them to rescue hundreds of lives each year.
Her eyes look up at you with unwavering faith, chocolate brown pools of love and devotion. Her shiny coat begs to be stroked as she leans towards you for a pat. That’s the moment you fall deeply in love with the young girl in front of you, who wins you with a baby’s innocence. That is till she snatches the ball or the treat (whichever is available at that moment) out of your hand and sprints off in the opposite direction without so much as a glance your way.
Meet Kanchi – 7 moths old, parvo survivor and belle of the Friendicoes brat – pack, a.k.a: the permanent shelter residents. Kanchi’s story starts in April of this year when Anjum Nath, a Friendicoes patron called up the team for help. A stray bitch in New Friends Colony area of the city had died, leaving behind a litter of 5 young puppies all of which seemed to be violently sick. The rescue team promptly drove to the site and found that 3 of the puppies had already died. The remaining two were in dismal condition, vomiting, listless and passing bloody stools. Classic symptoms of the deadly canine parvovirus. The two fur balls were rushed back to the Defence Colony shelter where they were kept in isolation and immediately subjected for a blood test. Even before the reports returned confirming our worst fears that they did indeed have Parvo, the fourth puppy breathed his last.
Left with just one baby, the staff doubled their efforts, monitoring her 24 x 7 for almost a month. Some days she seemed better and on the way to healing while on others she would lie listlessly in a corner plummeting every body’s hopes of a miracle. During this time, the shelter staff, many of who come from Nepal started fondly referring to the small puppy with big eyes as “Kanchi”. Finally, on a steady diet of love and anti – biotics, Kanchi made a miraculous recovery. Beating the odds, to become a rare survivor of a normally fatal virus.
Today, Kanchi is a bright, spunky, entitled young lady, constantly getting up to mischief. She harasses the older canines, never misses a chance to steal shoes, plays endless games of tug of war with her best friend Blackie, the black lab and barks loudly at any new dog entering her territory. Her appetite for both life and food is unmatched and at the end of the day when she curls on to her mattress and looks up at us with her expressive eyes, we all know she was worth every bit of trouble we went through to keep her alive!
Sponsor this canine super star for just Rs. 2000/- a month. Call 9818201987 or write to info@friendicoes.org.
“Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware. Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.”
- Rudyard Kipling
Today, our hearts lie in tatters. It is not the first time and it is far from the last, but perhaps till date it is the severest tear. We have reached the end of an era. A tiny dog with the heart of a lioness and the attitude of a tigress has left us. The Friendicoes team is used to losses but this one is more deeply felt than any other, for we have lost our mascot, our mentor and our best friend. Mendak, that tiny brown bundle of barks and bites passed away quietly in her sleep, on the 14th of December 2010.
She arrived at our shelter a decade ago, all ready full grown (if that’s what you can call her half foot height) with spunk and chutzpah well in place. Her funny bowlegs, stunted size and odd way of hopping to get around led the boys to christen her ” Mendak” meaning “the frog” in Hindi. Initially she was kept inside the shelter, but it soon became clear that her personality was far too large to be confined to an enclosure. So, she moved in to the office and took over hearts and spaces with equal ease. Mendu, was a feisty woman, with clear likes and dislikes. If she approved of you, she would bestow you with wags and licks and tiny whimpers but if she took a dislike then you had best stay away from the place.
A born leader, with supreme self-confidence she asserted her authority with flair. More than once, I have seen a full-grown Great Dane or Labrador back away from her in awe and submission. Mendak’s one vice was jealousy and it burnt her little heart to have someone she loved pat another dog. She didn’t have much of a taste for chews but if she got one, she would guard it ferociously chasing off any dog foolish enough to approach her. In her later years, Mendu mellowed if only slightly and was quite content to doze at Gautam’s feet, sit on Tandrali’s lap or snuggle close to Geeta in the evenings. There is not a single Friendicoes client or patron who has not encountered this extraordinary canine and condolences to our team have been pouring in from animal lovers across the city.
Mendak’s brief tryst with romance involved a rather scruffy white dog who serenaded her for weeks before she softened and gave in to his manly charms. The result of this encounter led to 2 puppies that were unfortunately still born and the cause of much heartache to their mother. She recovered quickly though and other than that one month of depression, I have never known Mendu to be down cast. Her friendships have been volatile, whether with Spiky the orange tabby who was at Friendicoes for many years or with Tuffy the Great Dane who tried hard to stay in her good books.
We could not possibly pen down every incident from Mendus long life, but let it be known that she was one in a million.
Our hearts will eventually mend; we will find new mascots and other four legged friends. But memories of this unique canine will forever stay embedded in our hearts and mind. Some where in doggy heaven, she must be smiling down at us knowing she was loved and will be missed.
 Rio is everything you would want in a pet. But this gentle soul is still homeless. Rio is still waiting for Santa to bring him his Christmas gift. Abandoned by his family due to a weak back and other consequent problems 3 years old Rio came to Friendicoes almost 6 weeks back. Since then this German Shepherd has gone through a tail amputation, another surgery to remove maggots from his testicles as well as intense treatment and therapy for his weak back. All this has not soured his demeanor at all and Rio continues to befriend all who extends a kind hand towards him. All it takes is a pat on the head and Rio is ready to follow you to the ends of the world.
But sadly his amiable disposition and good looks has not yet earned him a family of his own. Presently under foster care in an amazing home Rio is still waiting for a home to call his own.and a family that will accept him irrespective of his medical file. He does not need much care, just the right amount of exercise and some attention to his back.
If you are the one who can give him a home contact us. Our adoption policies do not allow outstation adoptions. Only a home in Delhi or NCR will do for Rio.
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