Tamil Nadu   

He is intensely passionate about animals

Nawab Nazeer Yar Jung

The man wears his love for dogs on his sleeve. Nawab Nazeer Yar Jung, the well-known dog breeder, was in the city recently to judge the 35th and 36th All Breeds Championship Dog Shows organised by The Coimbatore Kennel Club.

He tells Pankaja Srinivasan about his love affair with animals and why dog shows are important.

While he is brutally candid about the way these shows are handled sometimes, Nawab Nazeer Yar Jung says they are still necessary.

"The breed must be kept alive. At one time, the different breeds had specific uses.

"The Wolfhound, the hound, the German Shepherd — they all had a role to play.

"But society has changed and those roles no longer have a place in our lifestyle.

"So, unless we do something about it, the breeds will die out.

"That is where dog shows come in," he says.

A lover of all animals, he is pained at the skewered attitudes some people have about their pets.

The Nawab says, "A lot of people prefer imported dogs to Indian ones.

"Our dogs are as good as any other ones. We must stop fawning over anything that is imported."

(Incidentally, owners of dogs of Indian origin did not need to pay a fee in order to participate in the dog show.

However, owners of dogs that were not, had to pay a fee!).

"And, while you may afford to feed your dog pearls and rubies for every meal, it is pointless if you do not love the animal," he says, underlining the importance of being affectionate towards animal friends, for they can understand emotions.

It is evident his love for them is unlimited.

"I can't imagine living life without animals.

"It was probably the only time in the history of Doon School that they made an exception and allowed me to keep pets," he said.

"I even quit the RAF (Royal Air Force) as I couldn't keep pets. Dogs, mice, pigeons, tiger cubs — I have had pets of every kind," he recalls.

The Nawab says he has judged goat shows, cow shows and camel shows - besides dog shows - all over the world.

Having spent a large chunk of his life amid forests, mountains and vales with his beloved dogs, he has anecdotes aplenty to share with those who would like to hear about animals and their ways.

At one time, he and his Golden Retriever got lost somewhere in the Himalayan ranges at sunset.

Suddenly, his dog refused to let him move any further.

The Nawab was forced to remain where he was all night.

The next morning when there was enough light to move on again, he found that just five yards from where he sat was a deep precipice. "But for the dog, I would not be telling you this story today," he says.

The Kennel Club of India awarded him a Lifetime Award, but the Nawab shrugs it off.

At this point in time, he says he now has only one prayer.

He says, "I hope when I die, God will allow me to roam the jungles with my beloved animals."

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