Your furbaby back home may be trained at getting your morning newspaper, give you that warm welcome when you come back home, or maximum to go pee outdoors. However, military dogs or service dogs trained by the members of the army do way more than just wagging their tails and snuggle under that cosy blanket. Service dogs help the army personnel in their rescue operations, they detect bomb explosives, help the security personnel find the miscreants etc. They are trained to do so. They serve the country for good 8-10 years of their lifetime.
But what happens to them when they retire and the army do not need their service anymore? Earlier, they were put down. In other words, they were euthanised. Dogs who probably saved scores of people, helped trace the terrorists, detect casualties during a disaster are put down only because they are physically not fit enough to carry these duties. The good news is that euthanisation is now illegal. After retiring, they are now put up for adoption. However, not many prefer adopting military dogs for some strange reasons like them being too old and may come with illness or that because of bizarre notion that they might be furious. So, do they deserve to live a life of misery post retirement? No, they don’t. They deserve to live a happy, secure and joyful life after years of service.
And that is what is “The Voice of Stray dogs” (VOSD) are trying to do. A privately run NGO, VOSD is now aiming to provide shelter to 100 “Patriot Dogs”. Yep, that’s what they are calling them. The organisation has already adopted several patriot dogs and also try to provide a loving atmosphere to dogs they’ve rescued.
A number of people across the country have come forward to support their amazing cause. Soha Ali Khan has also extended her support to this noble deed.
“In the past year alone, we have added dogs from the Kerala Police, the Karnataka Police, the Railway Police Force, the Indian Army. Just last month, a one-year-old Police dog was declared unfit to serve due to a congenital heart condition. He came home to us”
What are they trying to do? They are trying to raise funds that will help them provide adequate facilities to the dogs that they are planning to get to their VOSD sanctuary. To be precise, here’s what they plan to do:
- “Ensure daily lifelong care with joint medication, and renal, liver and cardiac support that is required for each of them.”
- “Create an exercise/play area for the more active dogs so that they do not miss their working lives.”
- “Give them the dedicated love and care that only VOSD can provide, proof of which are our happy resident dogs at the VOSD Sanctuary.”
It costs them Rs 2000 to take care of these senior dogs. Go on, help them give the dogs that have served your country for all their lives to get a life they deserve. They’ve done their bit, it’s your turn now. For more information on the project click here.
