Incredible as it seems, we all have one thing in common with the notorious smuggler and poacher Veerappan: he appears to have recognized the value of the Indian Pariah Dog. He and his gang owned three dogs, who according to news reports were used to sniff out sandalwood trees. Of course I don’t know any details about the case, but since one doesn’t really need dogs to detect this strongly scented wood, it is possible that they were also used as watchdogs and perhaps for hunting.
Not surprisingly, having such owners led to tragic consequences for the dogs. Only one, Ittappa, eventually survived to live a happy-ever-after life, thanks to CUPA - the Bangalore-based organization which rescued him.
I am posting a tribute to Ittappa, written for us by Sanober Bharucha, Hon. Secretary, CUPA. On behalf of the Indian Pariah Dog Club, I’d like to thank Ms Bharucha for the tribute and for these photos of Ittappa before and after his rescue and recovery.
A tribute to Ittappa
Ittappa, along with two other dogs, belonged to a gang of sandalwood smugglers in Kerala, South India. In August 1998, his masters were caught by the police and taken into custody. Ittappa and his two friends were taken as 'articles' for the case against the smugglers. The dogs were forgotten in a dark, dank, damp corner of the Government Veterinary Hospital at Kasargod, Kerala for three long years. His companions succumbed to the misery but Ittappa struggled on and survived.
As fate would have it, journalists Mr. Janardhan and Mr. N. Chambithimar of a local paper,
"Karmaveera,” reported Ittappa's plight. CUPA - Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, an animal welfare organization in Bangalore, sent animal welfare officer Mr. Sanjay P. and Mr. Murthy to Kasargod. After much red tape and bureaucratic procedures, the dog was given into the custody of CUPA .
With care and love at CUPA, Ittappa changed from a skin-diseased, malnourished dog into a handsome, smart character endowed with a wonderful personality. One of the permanent residents at the CUPA Centre, he was dearly loved by all. Eight years later, on 10th November 2006, he suffered from a respiratory collapse and died. He is deeply mourned and missed. In spite of being a victim of human callousness and cruelty, he was the living symbol of a rare endurance, great courage and a shining, loving presence.
His story has been carried by the national and international media.
Sanober Z. Bharucha
Hon. Secretary, CUPA
website: http://www.cupabangalore.org/
3 comments:
Thats a very sad life for any dog, but I'm so happy it had a nice ending! This story reminds me of one by Jim Corbett, in his book 'My India'. There he writes about the dog of one of India's most wanted and er, famous, dacoits, Sultana's dog, a Pariah and terrier cross, who was adopted by one of the British police officers who aided in nabbing Sultana. Elsewhere in the book, and if I recollect correctly in the very same story, Corbett calls the Pariah "the best watchdog in the world"!
Thanks! I must look up that quotation and use it in the Watchdog database!
:) You must! I'll give it to you...
Post a Comment