A slum Cynophilist

Fostering and feeding stray dogs has been Perumal’s keenness for decades, what distinct him from others not just being a slum-dweller but the unconditional love for animals. Writes Mervin LR  

 

 

Perumal with Mani & Mai Kannan (Kohl eye)

 

   While comparing the number of dog fancier that Chennai has – Perumal is quite distinct from others not because of the low-socio-economic status; but his unconditional love for animals, especially dogs. For Perumal, everyday revolves around caring and feeding the stray dogs, the compassion that he believes came quite naturally somehow at his younger age.

 “Cannot imagine a day without  feeding the dogs,” says the 32- year-old conservancy worker (a job awarded by Chennai’s Corporation) from Thiruvanmaiyur Kuppam, daily woken up by the chorus of his dogs at 3 O’clock in the early morning, walks along with his wife Maari (also conservancy worker) and Mani (one of the abandoned dog that he’s been sheltering for years) from Velankanni Church, Besant Nagar to Vananthurai, where they clean up wastage material that scattered around the garbage bin every corner of the respected streets and interestingly, the dog will follow them as their shadow without any menace. And this couple’s work greatly helps bin Lorries to carry garbage much easier.
 

At 10 am sharply, he come down to the park near Kalakshetra colony, Besant Nagar, where all the dogs, closely ten, awaiting for him and when he arrives running forward to meet him. He greets all by their names, such as Browny, Don, Soripatta (found with scabies, now seems good), Mai Kannan (Kohl eye), Meenakshi, Alex, Minnal and the list goes on and on. He provides them a healthy food and spends some time with them, which becomes his daily routine for decades and now.

 “Two years ago found a puppy on a garbage bin covered in a box, with skin disease, little to breath, I took care of him, vaccinated him, even named him Browny (because of his color) and now he is my son’s favourite and every day he (Browny) expecting my two son (Saravana Velu, Sanjay) returns from school to play with them in the kuppam streets.” well, bit of Hachiko, isn’t it? “Not only Browny, all of my dogs have also adopted from leftover streets and beaches. I’ve lived my entire life in this seashore-side slum, sometime, I return home at mid-night but never been chased or mauled by any dogs, they are very grown, dependent on me and well-mannered and loyal to my family” he says with proud.



Breakfast time!

He is the reason that number of homeless dogs in different corner around the kalakshetra colony often gets a taste of Non-Veg. Many of his neighbors have raised eyebrows of disapproval and yet some appreciates his action towards dogs. And when questioned about the hearsay of dog menace are high in the area, he replied patiently, “three months ago Buddu was hit by a car and killed, when ran onto the road and Mudhalai died about four years ago and other three of my dogs too” reminisces Perumal. “They barks because they afraid of them and very protective about the area, here animal life considered to be the secondary and given less important than human lives, where humans occupied most of the land and think animals are intruders. So, the problems are with people not with the dogs or animals, at least if it’s taken care properly. They don’t know evil or jealousy as human does.”

Besides his two sons, he also fathering, educating his three nephews (Mariappan, Saravana, Muthu) after the death of their father. His love & care for animals extend upto cats and others. And he has long list of wishes that includes watching Richard Gere’s Hachi: A dog’s tale, the film he has been asking me for a while and now I bought him the DVD. He yet to watch and respond.