When children spent an afternoon choosing a puppy

The Indian Dog show was slated to commence at 3pm, but the C.P Arts Centre was packed with men, women and children and dogs of all shapes and sizes much before that. Remember, it was a Sunday afternoon. Yes, the show was for the Indian Dog or the Indian Pariah Dog or mongrels, but there were Labradors, German Shepherds and even a pug soaking in the ambiance. Nobody minded; in fact, it was like: more dogs, the merrier.

Children and adults crowded around an enclosure where puppies were displayed for adoption. There were many an excited squeal (of children) and admiring eyes as one puppy after another got adopted in fairly quick time. Obviously, choosing one wasn't too difficult; may be a few minutes, but that was all. The enclosure was full of puppies when I first had a look; toward the end of the show, very few were left. They were all so cuddly and lovable that a friend exclaimed in greeting that she'd already lost her heart to one of them!

The Blue Cross has been encouraging the adoption of puppies, the Indian puppies or mongrels. Shows such as as this help children understand that an Indian dog is as good, if not better, than any other breed. The mongrels are hardy and intelligent, and easy to look after as well.

Once, when I had been to Dr Chinny's office in the Guindy Industrial Estate, this is what I saw displayed inside the factory premises: ‘If you can’t decide between an Alsatian, a Doberman or a Poodle, get them all. Adopt a mongrel from the Blue Cross shelter and get everything you are looking for – all in one dog. The intelligence of a Poodle and loyalty of a Lassie, the bark of a Shepherd and the heart of a St. Bernard, the spots of a Dalmatian and size of a Schnauzer and the speed of a Greyhound. A genuine all-Indian has it all. Get the best of everybody. Adopt a mongrel’.

Here was how the puppies looked: all asleep initially; aroused with some nervous fondling; and then the adoption . Away from all this was quite another view, of people restive, waiting for the actual show to start.