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Tar… that black substance you would not notice though you see it every day. It lines your path to success or failure as you tread on it. While it is a sign of urbanization, one day, our handlers saw tar in a way that made their heart sink.

Human’s best friend- dog- has legions of fans. People see love, companionship and trust in a dog. But when it comes to puppies, hearts melt and love oozes from one and all for the adorable goofy furballs the pups are! Puppies look helpless, joyful and cute beyond any comparisons. Even the stoniest of hearts and frostiest of people feel a pang of sympathy at the sight of tiny cutie-pie pup with a wagging little tail. ‘Puppy eyes’ are tried and tested tools of persuasion employed by women and children!

However, just like most young ones, puppies need their mother in this vulnerable phase of life. A mama puppy has task cut out for her. She has to look after multiple babies at the same time. While the pups get nourishment from her milk, the mama has to find food just like before, but not go too far from the babies. She also has to keep them safe from any antagonistic male dog. Just like human kids, pups often fall victim to their curiosity and get into trouble. This little champ in the pic, found a unique and horrible way to get stuck. Tar is molten when hot and as it cools down, it becomes solid. It is often stored in huge drums near the construction sites. This puny pup would have tried to get some warmth in tar. However, as it cooled the tar stuck all over its body entrapping the horrified baby. People heard the heart wrenching cries and called for help.

Extricating from tar is a laborious task that tests your patience. If you have read chemistry (and remember it!), you would know that tar is not affected by water. Oil needs to be used. Slowly and gently, oil was massaged over to remove all the tar from the poor soul’s frail body. The kiddo was brave and waited patiently. Once an animal realizes that the person is not a threat, it will trust that person with life. Most of the sticky blackness was got rid of. Then it was time for a long, soapy and thorough bath. Seeing this courageous munchkin now, one would not know it had ever been trapped in tar!

As any tiny tot will tell you; bath makes you ravenously hungry! Food and nourishment was given while it recuperated from the exertion of the day. At JCT, we are passionate and committed to reach out to every animal that needs help. Thus, we take joy when people pitch in. Like here, Sidhraj brought this pup all the way from Oganaj. After it had gained its lost energy, it was released back and reunited with the mama dog.

This may seem like a fairy-tale ending to you where an innocent and vulnerable creature was rescued, treated and released. Unfortunately, this is not a cheerful movie and happy ending is rare exception, not the norm. Have you ever wondered why there are so many dogs in our country compared to the developed ones? Stray dogs, cats and in some places, even pigs may seem routine to any Indian but they are very uncommon abroad. Well, dogs are scavengers. Majority of them survive on the left overs they get in open garbage bins. If they don’t get adequate food, then naturally, they would perish. It is these open garbage bins that harbour stray animals.

Dogs are seen as a nuisance by many people who sometimes take illegal and unethical means to get rid of the strays. Besides, packs of strays chasing a two-wheeler are a scary situation in the country which all of us have experienced at least once. Dogs can possibly transmit illnesses to pets (e.g. canine distemper) or even humans (e.g. rabies). But there is another, compassionate reason why stray dogs reflect poorly on the society. See the kind of life a stray, particularly a dog, lives. Its life is spent fighting with other dogs, scavenging for food, getting beaten by humans and most likely, die from a gruesome accident or excruciating illness. This is inhuman.

Municipal corporations in the past tried to exterminate mongrel population by simply killing them. The plan flopped. Dogs are territorial and if dogs of one place are killed, other dogs from outside will take their place. The only legal, effective and humane way to shrink the population is ABC (Animal Birth Control). Dogs are sterilized so they can no longer reproduce; moreover, their aggression may come down. For males, it is called neutering whereas for females, it is called spaying.

If you are an animal lover, then this is how you can serve. Go beyond simply petting and feeding the dogs in your neighbourhood. Get them sterilized. If you are not particularly fond of them, you should still support ABC out of compassion.

JCT takes up many programs and initiatives to make the lives of the ignored and speechless creatures as far as our limits allow us. You can be a part of this voyage too! Consider making a donation or volunteer and feel the contentment of being the change in society.

P.S.- HARMING ANY STRAY DOG OR PUPPY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. FEEDING STRAY DOGS IS THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE WHO WISH TO DO SO AND PREVENTING THIS IS AN OFFENCE TOO.