Of no particular breed, Indian dogs roam the streets of cities and towns throughout India. Aggressively territorial they stake their claim to a street or area and become its guardians, fending off any perceived intruders, bearing their teeth, snarling and occasionally biting a passer-by. They are of medium height and usually yellow or black. Their scruffy, injured existence, finds them anywhere and everywhere, sometimes alone, sometimes in groups scavenging for food, unloved and scarred by battles with man and animal, alike.
The large yellow dog who roamed my street was different - he'd lost a leg and now ran on three, seemingly unimpaired by such an awful loss. He had developed a barrel chest of muscle to make up for the missing front right appendage - he was a big dog and when I first made his acquaintance, I wasn't sure if he was dangerous - so I approached him cautiously and so we got to know each other. Every day he would come for a greeting and I would pat his side. This was our sole contact.
Returning to India after an absence of 2 years, I found the neighbourhood changed beyond recognition - multi story tower blocks had sprung up in a frenzy of building activity - my friend the dog - I called him 'Touser', for want of a better name or '3-legs', was nowhere to be seen.
I had been back a few months when one day I set off in the morning emerging from the driveway into the road - I hadn't walked many paces when I heard a far-off bark, a couple of streets away. Instinctively I knew that it was directed at me. I walked on looking up the road into the distance and saw a yellow shape tearing down the road ahead - as the dog got nearer I could see it was running on three legs. With wagging tail and anxious look 'Touser' could barely contain his excitement ! I crossed the road and he rushed at me, sole front paw up on my chest, tail wagging, he licked my hand in welcome, got down and made a rush at me again. His joy was palpable. I marvelled at this little miracle - he'd recognised me from a distance after an absence of two years and not forgotten a friend !
The large yellow dog who roamed my street was different - he'd lost a leg and now ran on three, seemingly unimpaired by such an awful loss. He had developed a barrel chest of muscle to make up for the missing front right appendage - he was a big dog and when I first made his acquaintance, I wasn't sure if he was dangerous - so I approached him cautiously and so we got to know each other. Every day he would come for a greeting and I would pat his side. This was our sole contact.
Returning to India after an absence of 2 years, I found the neighbourhood changed beyond recognition - multi story tower blocks had sprung up in a frenzy of building activity - my friend the dog - I called him 'Touser', for want of a better name or '3-legs', was nowhere to be seen.
I had been back a few months when one day I set off in the morning emerging from the driveway into the road - I hadn't walked many paces when I heard a far-off bark, a couple of streets away. Instinctively I knew that it was directed at me. I walked on looking up the road into the distance and saw a yellow shape tearing down the road ahead - as the dog got nearer I could see it was running on three legs. With wagging tail and anxious look 'Touser' could barely contain his excitement ! I crossed the road and he rushed at me, sole front paw up on my chest, tail wagging, he licked my hand in welcome, got down and made a rush at me again. His joy was palpable. I marvelled at this little miracle - he'd recognised me from a distance after an absence of two years and not forgotten a friend !
