I Don’t Own Pets

 Tommy is an old black dog, with a large structure and fierce looks walking with stray dogs on the road, his owner had left him on the roads. Once his owner, while going for a morning walk, with Tommy caught in an accident.  The dog ran swiftly and his owner holding the dog’s chain was unable to pace up with the dog causing an accident. This resulted in a severe fracture and financial loss of a few lakhs. Out of agony, the owner left Tommy on the streets. Since then Tommy has turned into a street dog. Some people get scared by seeing such a giant dog on the street. Some of them would pat him and feed him out of compassion. The meat shop and dairy shop is Tommy’s favorite place to hover around. “Some kind people feed him but he is always hungry, maybe due to his big structure” The shopkeeper was talking with his customers. Once a wild and fierce dog now looks like an abandoned and shabby dog.

Mr. Sharma’s family shifted to a new city. It was not possible for them to take their old dog with them. They gifted it to their friend. The dog’s new owner is a super busy full-time job holder. They have little time to be at home. The dog is in his kennel all the time. Crying and growling. Making noise similar to that of a wolf. He is free only at night and if the couple is on a night out, he misses this opportunity too. The previous owners may have been mindful while gifting their dog which they reared so lovingly. Or later on, they may have asked about the condition of their dog.

Why don’t you pet a dog? My friend was asking once. Because I am afraid that I would not be able to take care of them. They are needed to be cared for and loved like human beings. Not for a while but for years, even when they get old and sick. Seeing the condition of these dogs I feel more discouraged. For me, it is a long-term commitment and I am not getting into this unless I am ready for that.

Image  from Pixabay