Stories >>

A Hapless Pup
By KR, Dec. 20, 2007
Nagpur, India

On way to work, on a cold winter morning, I stopped to investigate some muffled shrieks emanating from an open ditch along the road. It turned out to be puppy, just a few months old, that had fallen into the dry storm-drain and unable to get out by itself. When my attempts to retrieve it failed, I requested help from passer’s-by, none of who were interested enough to spare their time. After many such requests, an old man offered to help, but constrained by his age, could not reach further down into the drain, where the puppy had by now retreated to. He was highly apologetic for not being able to do anything, and since nobody else was keen to help, we ruefully went our ways, after placing a wooden plank across the opening of the ditch, in the wee hope that this may help the puppy to climb out by itself.

This incident leads one to ponder on a lot of questions: Why was there such apathy to help a hapless creature? It may well be argued that when the plight of numerous small children, neglected and forced to live in horrific conditions, fails to invoke any response in us, how can the cries of a small puppy pull us out of our stupor?

When we put forth claims to being the highest race on the planet, does it not then become our collective responsibility to try to reach out to all living beings - humans and animals alike - to provide relief and comfort in whatever manner possible, and to inculcate this thought in our day to day lives, so that it becomes second nature? And of course there remains the ever-elusive answer to why should there be open ditches and drains on roads, in the first place?

Feedback:
Please write us your responses in a few lines. Remember, make your feedback meaningful & actionable. Ask yourself the question - how would I solve this problem?