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The sight of compassion in this world which is full of people who cannot even fulfill their own needs is rare. But if you are in New Delhi you can witness lads and loads of love and compassion from a rag picker for the stray dogs that either never belonged to anyone or had an owner who abandoned them. Such dogs feel helpless in the world that is not designed for them.
Pratima Devi – Delhi’s ‘Dog Lady’ who cares for 400 Stray Dogs
The jungle of concrete that provides habitation only to the social, civilized and profoundly intellectual humans has no heart to accommodate the other living beings that were made just equal by Mother Nature. The irony of the advancement achieved by the humans is that it has made them highly selfish too. There is no other species that does not allow any other species to enter their abode. All through nature everyone has right over everything but the human species wants all for themselves. The evolution through millions of years may have given a lot to the humans but what they have been robbed of is the ability to share.
But still there are people who have the heart to share with others whatever they have in exchange of unconditional love. Pratima Devi is such a woman who cares for as many as 400 dogs. No, she is not a millionaire neither she runs an NGO. She is just a rag picker. She earns just 150 rupees pre day but never fails to provide food for the dogs that find shelter in her loving care.
Generally the dogs that are left by the owners or those that are hurt on the roads go into depression. Such dogs need a lot of love and care to bring them back to normal. Pratima Devi gives them exactly what they need- food, shelter and most important of all love.
Pratima lives in a shed covered with tarp and sells scrap to feed 120 dogs. She can barely feed herself but makes all the arrangements for the dogs that she considers as her children. She has a family in her village but she refuses to go back. Her marriage was never a happy one and she left her husband owing to the problems she faced with him. Her sons want to take her home but she wants to live in New Delhi and take care of her dogs.
Earlier she had a tea shack but it was painfully destroyed in a storm. After that she had to face a lot of trouble looking after the dogs but somehow she managed to do that.
Pratima not only feeds the dogs and gives the emotional support but also takes them to the vet if they face any health issues. For the food of the dogs Pratima has to buy 12 kg of rice five kg of meat and 10 litre of milk every day. She has a volunteer form the neighbouring village named Vivek. Both of them get up at 6 in the morning to feed the canines with milk then at 12 noon the dogs are given food cooked by Pratima. At night the dogs are again provided with dinner.
This routine has saved the lives of many dogs and gave them the love and care they always needed.
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