All doggies they say go to heaven. The lucky ones go to Blue Cross Animal Shelter and Hospital at Keshav Nagar Pune. If you have a heart for anything that’s living and yet unable to do so with the required dignity bestowed upon it by Mother Nature, you will not shed tears or play the sympathy aunt or uncle. YOU WILL HELP!

How can you do it? Simple. Write to me. I shall guide you thru the steps that you can take to make life so much more comfortable, not only for the doggies but for all animals, be it donkeys, horses mules, cows, bulls, or cats.

It was a chance encounter. On my way back home with my husband, we chanced on a seven month old dog sprawled on the center of the road in pain. It had been hit by a careless car driver.With the help of three young boys, God Bless them, we managed to pick up the canine and move it on the side of the road.

Somehow we contacted a volunteer of Blue Cross, Ms Ramona Collins, and with her help moved the fella to the hospital. Unfortunately his back was broken. No hope. After three days of intense treatment the doctors suggested he be put to sleep.He was Lucky. We`called him that. At least he passed away with dignity. The docs who spend time 24×7 at the Shelter assured that.
We went back, a few days later to spend time with the animals. It brought hope. It brought cheer. Yes the shivers in the spine were there. The tingling sensation of inability to adopt the whole lot still rankles. Yet the light in those innocent eyes. The barks of friendliness. The hugs of three legged and semi blind doggies as they begged for love haven’t gone.

We will keep on going back. For more. To learn lessons that aren’t taught at IIM’s or IIT’s. To see how hope floats and life soars above the petty squabbles of caste creed and religion.
How mere mute animals rise like angels to bless you with each tiny squeak or loud bark.We will go back.

To hear affection and feel love. We will go back to be wanted. To care and be cared for in return,not for scraps of food or licks of milk, but for a drooly lick, that feels as warm as mother’s milk.
We will go back to see the three legged Pillo welcome us. Or Odie go into a trance of love. Or bow legged and permanently disabled Rani a 4 year old GSD with a never-say-die attitude in her feisty behavior.

We will go back to see the angels of nature. The horses ,who crave a pat, the blind mule to sees with his ears. The magic of lame donkeys.The matronly cows and the majestic bull.
We will go back to see the dedication of Francis, the passion of Ramona ,Vijay Paranjape who heads them , Niki, Aud, Jasmine, Giselle and Anjali, and of course the doctors and the support staff who clean, cook and tend them.
We will go back for us. It is self cleansing. If you are a believer than it’s a place of worship. For the agnostics, it’s salvation and for atheists its a place of beauty and joy to be beholden forever.

Join us. You can help. Let me tell you how.

Aparajita S Sayaani