The handsome feral dogs of Mumbai (photos of heart-stealing dogs warning)

[Recursion]

Last edited Wed Sep 25, 2013, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)

(OMG I have to adopt her)



(Yes, that dog is missing a leg)

[Raffi Ella]

1. ha, I was staring intently at the black dog sitting so sweetly for you-

when I saw your caption of the picture. What a sweetheart! Are you really considering it?

[Recursion]

10. Possibly. Moving every three years can be hard on pets

But we're going to consider it.

[Demoiselle]

2. The black dog with the white tummy streak looks exactly like my Camden (Jersey) Girl.

I mean, exactly. I got her from a rescue three months or so ago...and she is very gentle, smart and happy to be with her big fluffy Great Pyrenees brother and a varying number of cats. (The number right now is 7 indoor and 1...the mother cat of them all...outside.)
Two are about to be adopted out.
And all of the cats were born under my front porch.
Sigh.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. the last picture ...

the hind leg? is it just the camera angle or did something happen to the leg?

you should totally adopt one

[Recursion]

4. A tripod. There are several.

Lots of car accidents involving dogs and lost legs. God knows how any car ever builds up enough speed, but apparently it happens.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. oh the, poor things. still looks happy and they all look relatively healthy. wish I could adopt that

tripod! really, you should adopt one of these dogs. you will not regret it. you will have a best friend for life.

[inch4progress]

6. Why are they being called feral?

These animals obviously aren't living in the wild. Some AS$hole decided they either couldn't afford them or they were too much work, and pitched them out on the streets.

[Recursion]

7. No, keeping dogs as pets isn't really a thing here

Temples feed them and offer basic vet care. These dogs were born in the streets.

[inch4progress]

8. Temples, really? Thats wonderful!

My issue with using the word "feral" is that it implies these dogs couldn't just be scooped up, taken inside and become members of the family, IMMEDIATELY. Feral animals are animals that live in the wild, and are descendants of domesticated animals. I rescue animals and in my experience have found not one animal that someone called "feral" or "wild" were actually either of these terms.

I'm not insulting or criticizing you, I simply HATE the stigma that people attach to these animals when they use such terms.

[Recursion]

9. Ah, got it

You might say they are "pets" of the neighborhood; the kids name them and let them join in the street cricket matches on Sundays. But they're looked at closer to how we look at squirrels in the US than dogs -- owning an "inside" dog is considered very Western, even pretentious.

But, yes, they're all sweethearts. The black one keeps trying to make friends with a street rooster, who is having none of it.

Also, while the dogs are all "mutts" officially, this is a great example of selective pressure: short hair and long snouts are needed to live in the streets, so all the street dogs look like that.

[inch4progress]

11. Awesome.

I'm assuming you live in Mumbai? If you would give me the addy somehow for a temple, temples, I would be seriously interested in sending over some goodies for the pups. Treats, food, supplements etc, and I could even throw in a few penicillin g's, probiotics, dewormers etc every now and then as well.

[Recursion]

20. The customs process would make in-kind delivery pretty much infeasible

PM me if you want a "more direct" route (*cough cough*)

[inch4progress]

21. I'll have to make a note of that. I don't currently have enough posts:(

I'm not sure what the requirement is to email, but I'm sure I will arrive there soon!

[Recursion]

22. Ah, right. Alternately, read my PM

Sorry, I hadn't realized your post count

[gopiscrap]

12. welcome to DU

[inch4progress]

13. Oh, wow thanks!

I can already tell I'm going to like it here. I've never had so many greetings on a forum before, IN THE FIRST DAY!

[gopiscrap]

14. you're welcome

[Brother Buzz]

15. They look like wonderful Island dogs to me

Oh yea, Mumbai used to be an island.

[Recursion]

16. It used to be 7 islands; now it's one big one

Thane creek is between us and the mainland.

[Brother Buzz]

17. I stand corrected

Nevertheless, those dogs look like just about every Island dog I've ever seen. I've encountered a few I wished I could sneak through customs and take home.

[AnneD]

18. Seeing the feral dogs...

and other animals was the hardest thing for my tender hearted daughter to take when we were there. We would have had a house full of animals. And they make loyal loving pets...go ahead.

[ReRe]

19. I've heard of feral cats...

... but not feral dogs. Thanks for the pics. I love them all...

[Bluenorthwest]

23. How sad.

Really, the sores and missing legs, the short lifespan spent struggling for every scrap or salve. So sad.