Strays

Being brought up in India, I have seen many stray animals.. since I was a very little girl,I'd always been fascinated by them and how they survived in the winters without anything,not even a sheet. Here, where humans get sweaters and mufflers and mittens..then you look at these dogs have one coat of fur, that's all they have to protect them for winters, when it goes down too 5 degrees or maybe even 2 on the really bad days, that fur and maybe a warm spot they found is all that helps them. Then again, what food do they eat..what all can a pack of dogs find in a garbage bin or even when a person feeds strays how long is it going to keep their stomachs full for? Also, in many places strays animals are ill-treated they are hit with sticks on entering premises they aren't allowed to be on, but then again how is the dog supposed to know he isn't welcome there? In india, there are many slums the dogs often wander around these areas as they find the maximum food there, children in the slums ..tease the dogs, hitting them with stones, making funny faces to provoke the dog and doing all sorts of things. There are animal shelters in India like Jeevashram and Friendicos that allow dogs or any strays that are unstable to live on the road into their shelter. In places like these, the dogs are looked after and cared for a little better than they are on the streets and they get their regular meals which keep them satisfied, you are also allowed to adopt dogs from these shelters. Strays are the most friendly dogs,they are in need of love and affection and when they get that , they just don't won't to let go. One summer, I volunteered in jeevashram which is an animal shelter for all kinds of animals.. from Donkeys to Horses to Dogs to cats to Rabbits to Guinea pigs and many more.It was a pleasure to work there and take care of the puppies and feed the dogs there regular meals, the extremely unfortunate and hurt dogs get to live there and are taken care of by the doctor himself.It was self-satisfying to work for a place like this. Strays are treated terribly on the streets they are hit, spat on, sometimes run over by cars and even chased.The strays are so kind, well some of them, they won't bite you even if you provoke them too. All they want is love and care and a bed to sleep in. Strays are one of the best breeds of dogs, I've had two strays in my house and sadly , both of them passed away a few years ago. They were the greatest companions and they give you a lot of love and affection, because for them your giving them a whole new life, a new beginning where they don't need to look for food , where they don't need to shake in their sleep because of the cold, they don't have to be hit when they go close to someone in search of just a pet . I take stray dogs as a whole different breed then pedigree dogs, stray dogs are the most deserving and the most affectionate dogs. :)

I hope , one day all of them suffering out there will find great homes.