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Indian slumdog has its day - 2nd September 2020

International Dog Day has taken on greater meaning this year with families across the globe marking 26th August event with added enthusiasm.

Feeling the isolation of the Covid-19 lockdown, many have sought the cuddly companionship of what for centuries we’ve called our best friend.

When India, which has in excess of 3 million Coronavirus cases, began to ease the month long lockdown it had instituted, the number of people adopting or fostering puppies rocketed.

Dawn William is responsible for an animal welfare organisation.

William: “People feel fine when they have a dog, have a pet at home. You know, you have to care for it, you have to give him a bath, you have to take him for a walk, you have to play with him and, he has also a lot of demands from you, so it keeps you going."

With somewhere in the region of 30 million strays on India’s streets, their human advocates have been tirelessly encouraging people to adopt these mongrels, termed “desi” or “indie”.

Whilst pedigrees still please some older generations, the young seem to have been bitten by the “desi” bug and are welcoming them into their homes.

Avani Naresh: “So basically, what I feel is, dog absorbs your entire stress, so they understand, you know, what you are going through. And that's like the brilliant thing about the dogs, about the pets."