(IN) Dogs among the heroes of the Mumbai attacks

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:

 

 

Dogs among the heroes of the Mumbai attacks

 

MUMBAI, India--Among the most popular heroes of the

three-day terrorist rampage through Mumbai that started on November

26, 2008 are the street dog Sheru, the sniffer dog Jessica, and

the therapy dogs Goldie and Onet.

At least 170 people were killed and 230 were wounded by 10

heavily armed men believed to be Pakistanis, who are believed to

have hijacked a boat to reach Mumbai, killing the crew. On arrival,

they shot up the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, the Taj

Mahal and Oberoi-Trident hotels, a Jewish outreach center, and a

restaurant, and left bombs in two taxi cabs.

Sheru was among the first victims. " Sheru was a stray dog

hit by an errant bullet, " recounted Washington Post Foreign Service

correspondent Emily Wax. " Plump, easygoing and almost 10 years

old--a senior citizen in dog years--Sheru often slept near the pastry

case of the Re-Fresh restaurant, a popular eatery in Chatrapati

Shivaji Terminus. Com-muters would feed him leftover fried veggie

puffs or sips of milk, workers said. "

Elaborated Mumbai blogger Harish Iyer to the Times of India,

" Sheru kept barking at the terrorist Azmal after he opened fire at

CST. All the other dogs ran away, but Sheru stood his ground until

he was killed. "

But Sheru was not killed. He was rescued by newspaper

photographer Shripat Naik, 28. " I was clicking photographs when I

saw the dog, bloody, dazed and looking so horribly afraid and

traumatized, " Naik told Wax. " My dog died a year ago. My heart

went out to this poor quivering animal. "

Naik rushed Sheru to the Bai Sakarbai Dinshah animal

hospital, on the central Mumbai campus of the Bombay SPCA. " The

bullet luckily cleared Sheru's shoulder and didn't puncture his heart

or lungs. It was like a small miracle, " said hospital manager

Yuvraj R. Kaginkar. The hospital staff gave Sheru his name, which

in Hindu means " Lion Heart. "

Summarized Wax, " The survival of the aging Sheru has become

an uplifting and soothing symbol of Mumbai's recovery to many of the

city's anxious and angry citizens. "

Agreed retired Indian army veterinarian J.C. Khanna, who is

now the Bai Sakarbai Dinshah hospital chief surgeon, " Some may ask

why a dog is saved when so many human lives were lost. But saving

all creatures big and small shows the love and affection for all life

that Mumbai has shown again and again. Sheru's life stands for

something, for all of us getting back on our feet. "

The terrorists met the sniffer dog Jessica and her handler at

the back entrance to the Taj Mahal Hotel, fatally shooting both.

Two other police dogs were killed in the ensuing siege, and

received funerals attended by police and firefighters, reported

Raymond Thibodeaux for VOA News.

Goldie, a golden retriever, and Okret, a St. Bernard,

became involved after the shooting stopped. Both are therapy dogs

trained by Minal Kavishwar of the Animal Angels Foundation, the

first Indian animal therapy program certified by the Delta Society.

Based in Renton, Washington, the Delta Society has promoted

animal therapy worldwide since 1977. The Animal Angels Foundation

previously helped victims of train bombings in Mumbai that on July

11, 2006 killed 229 people and wounded more than 700.

While dogs worked to help humans, In Defence of

Animals/India looked for opportunities to help the pigeons who lost

their homes as the Taj Mahal hotel burned.

Founded independently, In Defence of Animals/India is now

affiliated with the U.S. organization In Defense of Animals.

" As the night [of November 26] progressed and bombs and

grenades exploded, it was distressing to see the pigeons fluttering

against the flames in TV coverage, " e-mailed IDA/India founder

Goodicia Vaidya. " For nearly three days we could only watch their

distress. However, on the 29th, when the last terrorist was

killed, the 'all clear' was given, so a volunteer and I took the

opportunity to drive down. Before setting out, we contacted Mr.

Vora of Paras Hardware, who is a trustee of the Dadar Kabutar-khana,

a place designated for feeding pigeons, who on hearing our mission,

very generously gave us a 50-kilo sack of grain. When we reached the

heavily guarded destination, we were not allowed to park, " but

finally found a parking space some distance away. Carrying as much

grain as they could, they were initially excluded from the immediate

vicinity of the Taj, " but when we showed them the grain, they

allowed us entry, " Vaidya said.

" We received such a welcome from those hungry pigeons! They

flew onto our heads, shoulders, and the bag of grain. We then

picked up the ones who were sick and injured --one had his neck

feathers singed--and took them to the Bombay SPCA, " Vaidya added.

IDA/India fed the pigeons again the next day. While feeding

pigeons in public places is usually discouraged to avoid encouraging

large flocks to congregate, weary troops avidly participated in the

feeding, and in providing water for the pigeons, perhaps relieving

some post-traumatic stress.

Bombay SPCA chief surgeon J.C. Khanna told Thibideaux that at

least 25 pigeons were killed at the Taj, and dozens more were

injured by explosions and smoke. A wounded fruit bat was also

recovered at the scene.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

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