New Delhi, India:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested people to adopt local breed / Indie dog in his latest Mann Ki Baat episode on 30th Aug 2020. He also posted a video on twitter painting the picture of roles played by dogs in our security forces, police force and at the times of disaster.
Since a long time dog rescuers have been trying hard to change the perspectives of people and are convincing them to show love to Indie dogs but the highlight made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged people to adopt local dogs.
Nidhi Mishra, the Co-founder of Posh Foundation works for animal welfare and rehabilitation said “PM amasses a huge following, and his words will go a long way in helping indie breeds get adopted. But now things should change. 55% people ask for puppies of foreign breeds or golden retriever. In some localities such as Noida’s sector 21, 80% of dogs on the street are indie breeds, and the good thing is that they are all are taken of; many got adopted by local families.”
Chitrangada a marketing professional from Delhi who adopted an indie in 2017 says, “The kind of ardent love and care Royce has brought in my life is beyond comparison. Indies live a life of constant strife, and once you adopt them, their gratitude is boundless. It’s this kind of bond which is specific to adopting dogs instead of buying them.”
US-based Jessica Haltzman who runs non-profit organisation in Delhi the Street Dog Foundation that helps street Indies to get adopted abroad says “People around the world helped us feed dogs during the lockdown and beyond.
Indie breeds are as resilient and loyal as pedigree dogs. It’s time people realised Indian local breeds are as good as a dog of any other pedigree.”