The Hindu : Kerala News : Canine at its wits end

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Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala

Canine at its wits end

Photo— S. Ramesh Kurup

HIS LOST MASTER: The Great Dane at the District Veterinary Hospital in Kozhikode.

The heartrending trial of a young Great Dane, spotted by the local people on the outskirts of the city is the talk of the town here for more than a week now. The year-and-a-half-old dog was found in a frail state at the wayside of Kanniparamba at Mavoor near here on June 9.

It was soon handed over to the authorities of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) at the District Veterinary Hospital here following a hullabaloo over his custody.

Nobody knew about his master, whereabouts or how he chanced to be thrown to cruelties of the street at the onset of a monsoon. “He was found tired and limping on his back foot,” said one of those who spotted him. But, the ordeal of the poor dog was only to begin there.

Who’s the master?

Advertisements appeared in newspapers and other media, looking for his owner. But none turned up to claim him.

Meanwhile, the commercial value of the rare breed, said to be the “Apollo of all dogs” began to give sleepless nights to pet breeders. They approached the Collector, SPCA president, with all their credentials and instant claims of “genuine animal love”.

Experts dropped in and confirmed the market rate of the young dog - Rs.25,000. They talked high of his “stud value” and other records of being a “brilliant watchdog”.

The certification from the chief veterinary officer also came. “He is well-mannered and trained for sure.” Treatment was on for his weak back foot at the hospital even as he kept on looking for his never-surfacing master.

Pressmen never left him alone. Videos rolled and cameras kept on flashing around him. Local dailies carried updates on him, but the actual owner did not turn up.

Tired of the “sham claimants” and “fake animal lovers,” the Collector decided to auction him of to the top bidder, with certain conditions. Seven bidders turned up and Rs.25,000 set as the base amount.

The anticlimax was yet to come but. All the seven bidders found the SPCA’s conditions, which included an inspection by its official till six months, unacceptable and the auction was called off, leaving the fate of the hapless dog on balance once again.

As the latest goes, the authorities have decided to float another auction once it recovers from the limp fully.

The ill-fated dog is going through some of the saddest days in his life at a shabby shed of the veterinary hospital, brooding over the dear memories of his lost ones.

Jabir Mushthari

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