Representational image only.
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He had pepper-grey hair and was clad in blue denim trousers and a dark maroon T-shirt. He looked familiar. Yes, I had seen him drive a fancy car in the locality. But what really grabbed my attention wasn’t him—it was what he had on his leash.
Well, to be honest, the soft, furry, and gorgeous Golden Retriever, walking on the dark, newly laid tar road with a grace that would put any model on the ramp to shame, had kept me captivated. It was later that I saw the person walking her.
Sitting on my balcony, my eyes unfailingly followed the retriever, Candy. I got to know the name as the pet parent called out when Candy suddenly jumped, seeing a cat quickly cross the road. Candy was a delight to watch. She was sniffing a leaf here, a log there, taking in every little detail with the curiosity only a dog could have. Then suddenly gained speed and trotted with a purpose. She was charging towards a half-eaten packet of biryani thrown under a tree. The man immediately tugged the leash to stop Candy from attacking that stale food.
Then Candy suddenly went into a squatting position and let out a gallon! The man patiently waited, and they walked on. A few metres down the road, Candy sniffed and squatted again, this time for her big job. The
man, unfazed, patiently waited as Candy finished, and then they continued on their walk. What was left behind was a large lump of poop waiting to
be cleaned by a pourakarmika (civic worker) the next morning.
Would that man look the other way if Candy relieved herself in his house? Of course, he looked the other way that evening because it was a public space. Who is responsible for the upkeep? Only the civic authorities?
It is high time we, as citizens, assumed responsibility for cleaning up after
our pets. Is it fair to leave that for the corporation?
Taking care of dogs involves more than just walks, food and vet visits; a bit of physical effort can help ensure cleaner surroundings.
There was an interesting yoga meme which said, “Bendasana: The poop clean-up pose”. It showed a pet parent bending with a sheet of paper to clean up the poop on the road and then standing up, packet in hand!
It is high time that pet parents practised Bendasana.