Prince is a young man who lost his legs in an accident and relies on a tricycle for transportation. He has adopted a stray dog named Raja, who he considers his only family. The document discusses why the Indian Pariah dog breed makes a good pet and companion. It notes their adaptability to the Indian climate and their loyalty and lack of grooming needs compared to pedigree dogs. It encourages adopting Indian street dogs rather than foreign breeds.

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Creature Companion | June 2015
NGO
I
t’s Monday, noon time with scorching
heat which can make you sweat just
walking on the street. Sweat is trickling
down rapidly to the chin, as I stroll fast to
reach my car...Something amusing grips
my attention!
Encountering Prince’s Joyride with
Raja
I see a young man sitting on a hand-driven
tricycle under the shade of a peepal tree. I
further look down and discover a brown
stray dog, sharing his cushioned seat...
I couldn’t help walking up to him with
curiosity and he politely asked me, “Will
you be interested in buying two packs of
incense sticks for 10 Rupee?” I was moved
Why Indian
Pariah Makes a
Good CompanionBy Rohan Rawat
‘Karma for Tuffy’
by his politeness and nodded, giving him
the money in exchange.
“What is your name and is this a stray dog?”
I questioned.
“I am Prince and yes, he is a stray dog and
I fondly call him Raja, who is my only
family. My family gradually abandoned me,
when I met with an accident a few years
back losing both my legs, and since then I
adopted Raja and gave him my name!” was
his instant reply.
A cliché that says, a dog is a man’s best
friend but often this bond and attachment
can go way beyond. Just the presence of
Raja in Prince’s life makes him feel loved,
secured and protected at the same time.
Stray Dogs Hungry for Love
& Affection
Bringing home a new family member calls
for proving an apt environment, as the
rules of adoption hold true here as well.
One has to make certain that there is an
overlap in the personality of the puppy and
the family.
Since these are street dogs, they are more
used to open spaces and always high on
energy therefore demanding frequent
walks. The Indian Pariah is one such breed,
that likes being outdoors as they are used
to free space and freedom. Confining them
to one place might depress them.

2. Besides, most of these dogs have faced a
bad history hence they need a loving home
and affectionate master. In addition they
might also be suffering from some physical
deformities or skin problems; it is always
better to get them checked, sterilised and
vaccinated by a specialist.
‘Be Desi and Adopt Desi’
As mentioned earlier, the morphology of
Indian stray dogs is best suited to Indian
climatic changes, hence they adapt well
while sustaining to the weather unlike
pedigree dogs. Since they have less fur on
the skin they also shed less hair.
Archana Rao, who is an avid animal
lover and has over 15 dogs in her care in
Bengaluru at present says, “We reside in a
country, where everything foreign amuses
us to the extent of choosing a ‘foreign pet’
becoming a part of our family, just because
it is exotic and beautiful in appearance.
What we tend to overlook is the fact that
the local or the desi breed is best adapted to
our climate.”
There are many who want to raise their
voice for adopting Indian breeds and they
all have a different outlook, approach and
points to share about the Indian Pariah.
One such person is Kanica Rawat, who
works with a Fortune 500 firm as a Senior
Quality Analyst in Bengaluru. And she
says, “Indian street dogs apart from being
a perfect fit for our temperate climate
are also extremely loyal and intelligent.
Furthermore, street dogs are more flexible
as the breeding is done in a jumbled way
unlike the pure breeds that are often prone
to genetically related health problems.”
Usha Madan, a Bangalore based teacher
who participates in many animal rescue
operations with NGOs such as Karma for
Tuffy says of the Indian breed, “They do not
demand as much maintenance or grooming
like shampooing, brushing, special dog
have mellowed their attitudes and rather
welcoming these desi locals into their
homes as family members.
This change in the attitude and beliefs
can be attributed to many people and
organisations such as NGO and even the
youngsters, who are supporting the cause
via social networking sites. This is boosting
up the figures of adopted Indian street dogs
monthly.
To conclude, the companionship of the
Indian Pariah, looking at the climatic
conditions and other aspects, I think
Indians should always prefer desi over
foreign breeds. These Indian dogs are
definitely better suited than pedigree dogs,
and outrank them on many criteria.
We should respect and give importance
to our desi members or the ‘locals’ in
general. If you treat them at par, and as
affectionately as the imported breeds, then
all doubts will be cleared that indeed the
Indian Pariah is the best!
The morphology
of Indian stray
dogs is best suited
to Indian climatic
conditions
Rohan Rawat is an avid animal lover, whose
organisation ‘Karma for Tuffy’ operates in
Bangalore, Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon. ‘Karma
for Tuffy’ is a highly active & alert animal
rescue group that attends to distress calls of
animals and birds from nook and corners
of cities; and often at odd times. They also
organise awareness events for promoting animal
care, stray adoption, protesting against animal
cruelty and so on. Rohan can be reached at:
rohan@karmafortuffy.com
food and daily tonics as pedigree dogs.
Moreover, we should not stereotype the
street dogs as dirty or unhygienic as they
come from the street, they can be trained as
properly and pick toilet training habits like
any other pedigree dog. Rather they can
even be fed the daily food like rice, pulse,
boiled egg, chicken and boiled vegetables to
maintain themselves.”
Changing Trends & Mindsets
Today there is a change in trend and these
street dogs have become more acceptable
in our Indian homes. With constant
awareness and welfare concerns, families