By Dr. Kuhu Roy
Handsome. That is the name I had given to this once chirpy child way back in 2008 when he became a part of our extended family on the roads along with his month old siblings and mother. His greeting style, captured in a video that I will have to retrieve from my archives, was to trot like a horse. From a pup to a handsome cool dude to a gracefully aging senior, for every single day he was a precious part of our life, until yesterday when he was mercilessly run down by a car. He dragged himself in the sweltering noon temperatures after the hit and collapsed, that is what the local men informed. The lingering thought is, did Handsome deserve to die writhing in pain? Why is there so much apathy? Fifteen years of love and life and this is the end we met with.
For the past two months, multiple correspondence and communications with various officials have been a testament to the fact that animals on the roads are objects of hate, not worth empathy at all.
But, giving up is not a choice as countless animals are being rammed on the roads every day. Most end up meeting a fate like our Handsome and others are left crippled for life.
If you feel the pain of Handsome’s brutal passing, please do your part. Please sign and share the petition. https://chng.it/mhSL2WC9hJ
With regard to the picture, it was taken during the lockdown, when we had a five hours curfew pass to feed and look after as many as we could in that time frame. Maa had stolen a moment to have a quick conversation with her Handsome boy. Memories remain.
