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“A little bit of you and me is a little more of us.” Well, to put it simply, a little care and affection from each of us would make a world of difference to abandoned and orphaned animals. Every summer, in the city of Chennai when the rude sun dries absolutely everything up, you will definitely find a thirsty squirrel licking up the last drop from a local tap or a mangy cat burying its head in a heap of garbage in search of a meal, or an ostracised dog wagging its tail at every passing, stone-hearted stranger, in desperate hope for a meagre meal or may be, let’s say, a wee bit of affection? Humans are not the only ones who require ‘love’ to survive, animals and (don’t be shocked) plants require a lot of love to live and grow.

They deserve care

Most animals are prone to live on the dreary, dusty streets, with absolutely nothing to depend on for food, water, shelter or security for their young ones. It is indeed very sad to see a dog trying to sleep, after a long, hard day, on the dirty pavements (thanks to us humans), and the rumbling noise of vehicles on the road. I was really taken aback, when my classmates in Std.VI caught hold of a butterfly’s delicate wings and squealed with joy at their ’success’! And I was astounded when I heard a college warden order the hostelites to ‘throw’ a baby squirrel out of their room! Why, it hardly took up any space in the room? Nor did it dirty the space a wee bit….. Well, there are simple, inexpensive ways to make the world a better place for our street buddies.

You can begin by feeding the dogs or cats in your neighbourhood, a meal or two at particular timings. By sprinkling a fistful of grain on the threshold, you can definitely attract a whole lot of pigeons and voila! They will definitely be there the next morning. If you happen to eat chicken for a meal or two, collect the bones with a little bit of meat stuck on it and feed it to the dogs and if its fish for dinner, then do the same for the cats in your area! After feasting on a piece of watermelon, you could wash the seeds on a strainer, dry and save them for stray parrots or squirrels, who would definitely stop for a quick snack. I also guarantee that the above ideas have been accomplished by a few ‘considerate human beings’!

“Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar.” –said Bradley Millar. By practising these little steps to care for poor animals, you don’t lose out on anything, rather, you gain their affection, loyalty and loads of happiness .Don’t buy an expensive Pedigree dog, which can definitely count on the cream of society to care for them. Adopt an orphaned pup or kitten, who has no one to love it, the way you can! If you come across an owl, with a broken leg ( they’re always breaking something ,probably because they’re stark blind during the day!) or a wounded wing, carry it carefully( so as not to cause more damage) to a sheltered spot under a tree, to keep it away from dogs or an even better option would be to take to the Blue Cross in an empty card board box!

These good deeds would give you immense happiness and you will grow to be a better individual.I would conclude with a few tips on how you can help in mitigating cruelty to animals. Never ride a horse just for the sake of fame or fun, like they do on the Marina Beach. Remember the poor animal was not born to carry you around in a not- so- easy- to-walk beach! Avoid looking at your Horoscope, simply because you don’t need your future to be predicted by a parrot!

It’s not fun

Never indulge in ‘fun’ or ‘brave’ activities, that causes physical harm to an animal, like hurling stones at a dog or binding up a poor kitten’s paws. It is indeed braver to oppose your ‘rough’ or ‘cool’ peers . Plan something fun to do with your pet rather than keeping it caged all the time. “A Robin Redbreast in a cage, Puts all Heaven in a Rage.”-William Blake, Auguries of Innocence.

And never ever, ever, ever take it on yourself to cane your pet, but, do use a raised tone to discipline your pet buddy. And last but not the least, “If you love somebody, show it!”

MARY SRUTHI VIJAYAKUMAR, III Year, B.A English, Women’s Christian College

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