Essays

In today's world where all relationship's are taken as full of selfishness, when we talk about True Friendship', I think the statement is very true - 'Dogs are man's best friend'. A true friend is that who shows companionship, kindness and laughter towards the person. All these qualities one can find in a pet.

There is another famous saying that' Dogs are more faithful than humans'. They show their loyalty towards their masters till the end of time. Like any human, they don't leave their masters in time of difficulties or problems. They are not just animals, they have sense, they have feelings and they are sensitive in nature too. In their company, nobody can feel lonely.

Dogs are amazing creatures. They are born loving humans, not only that they can communicate their needs and desires to us. They can read out facial expressions, tone of voice and postures. They share a very special bond with humans. They give us their true companionship and loyalty What they want is love and compassion in return. They don't want money and they don't have any other greed or desire. Their friendship is without selfishness.

During the years we spend with a pet, they become a significant and constant part of our life. They become a source of comfort and companionship, of fun and joy. I never knew before what it means to keep a dog as a pet until we had him in our home.

My pet's name was 'Zorro' but after sometime we started calling him 'Nonu'. His breed was German shepherd. I am using 'he' for Nonu as we never treated him as an animal. He was of one month when he became our new family member. He was so small and so cute. He had brown eyes and they used to shine in dark. Gradually we started understanding his needs. It became very easy to communicate with him as he expressed himself so actively with his actions. When he wanted to go out, he just went near to main door and start scratching door with his paws. We treated him like any normal human child. He was also like a new baby in our family we gave him baby food for three months. When his teeth were coming, we brought one teether for him. We had a special shampoo for his bathing. He didn't like bathing at all. Always at the time of bathing, he used to show his anger and irritation and start barking on us. Gradually he became familiar with our family members.

It is the fact that the pet becomes more affectionate towards one person in family. Similarly Nonu also became affectionate more with my brother. He waited for my brother late night in the corridor till the time he came back from work. He didn't eat anything till that time. He had such a strong sense that he could recognise the noise of my brother's bike and immediately he reached to the main door. Nonu liked to go office than to remain at home. When in morning, he didn't want to take his milk, my brother used to show him office keys and just say 'F.E' (Name of the block where the office is) and Norm was so sharp minded that he understands very quickly that, he will be taken to office if he will drink his milk. After that, it takes Just few minutes, to finish his milk.

He liked tomatoes very much. When my mother brought vegetables from market, he used smell all vegetables whether tomatoes are there or not when mama didn't brought tomatoes, he used to start barking and we used to say that he is scolding mummy for not bringing his favorite thing.

We used to take him for morning and evening walk. He was so friendly and silent in nature that children in the park also became his friends. He was so huge in size but still small kids were not afraid of him. When their mother felt scared, the small kids used to say 'Mummy daro mat, yeh to Zorro hai, kuch nahin kahega'! We kept a trainer for him. His trainer was very strict and he beats Nonu and he barkscontinuously. After sometime he had started feeling scared from his chain. But he had learned how to shake hand.

We included him in our every festival. Me and my sister used to tie 'Moli' on his one leg at the time of Rakhee and Bhaiya Dooj and put Tikka on his forehead. He became a part of our life and every moment away from him gives the feeling of utter loneliness. Every moment with Nonu was fantastic and full of joy. In his company everybody felt so relaxing. But after one and a half year everything turned into a nightmare. He started getting the attacks of fits. We all of us didn't know what was happening.

When we consulted his doctor who used to give him routine injections, he told that it was a paralysis attack, as first time there was just a shaking of his body. But after two months, same thing happened again but this time there was foam from his mouth. Then we came to know about the real cause. It was a great shock for us.

The situation was so miserable and helpless as we didn't know what to do and at the same time we can't see him in (lain. After the attack he became very lazy, as every part of Ills body was aching. Everybody at home was literally crying, since we have seen him only playing, jumping and doing dill rent actions.

The real shock was for my brother as he was most attached to Nonu. My brother made each and every attempt for his diagnosis. He even went to Noida all over from PitamPura for his diagnose. After so many attempts, finally Homeopathic medicine suited him. He didn't get those attacks for eight months. We all were very happy that now our Nonu is perfectly all right. He also became very active during these months- But after eight months, once again tic got not just one attack but 10-12 attacks in a day. His doctor changed his medicine but everything was in vain. On second day his fits became more frequent. Diwali was liter three days and Nonu was very scared from the sound of crackers. Due to this all his fits became frequent. In three days he got 24 attacks. I can't even describe what was Ills state after these attacks. He can't even walk properly. That moment all our patience crossed. Nobody was in a situation to see him in a pain for even one more minute. His doctor advised 'Euthanasia'. On listening that everybody became like a dumb. Nobody knew what to do. It was beyond our imagination to separate Nonu from us but we cannot see him in pain too. On third day when he got another attack, that time he had cut his tongue with his own teeth because his mouth also shake during that period. Everywhere there was blood. Seeing this state of Nonu, my brother gave consent for 'Euthanasia'.

When doctor was giving him Euthanasia, me and my brother went to the office which was nearby. Nobody can imagine but his is true that when me and my brother were in office alone, we heard his voice literally- When we came back my father told us that doctor had given him three injections because first injection didn't work on him. I felt that he didn't want to get separate from us. It was that bond of love which was not allowing him to separate.

Anyone, who considers a pet a beloved friend, companion or a family member, knows the intense pain that accompanies the loss of that friend. Same is the case in our family. Nobody was ready to accept that Nonu had gone. All of us were experiencing sadness and loss because everyone was remembering the time we spent with him. But the truth, one has to accept and we all have accepted the truth but still we all of us feel that Nonu is still among us. He is 'still alive in our heart'.