As Chennai faces a cyclone threat, many people in the city have opened their homes for stray dogs to take shelter. They are aware that if the animals are not given shelter, the cyclone is a threat to their lives.?
Vignesh Sukumar of Thiruverkadu recalled how a couple of months ago 13 puppies died due to rain. So when he learned of the cyclone, he opened his doors to the strays.?
"So far, six stray dogs have found shelter in my house during the cyclone. They are very scared and they are only sleeping in a corner," he said as per a report in The New Indian Express.?
Sukumar is a medical trainee at Animal Aid Unlimited and had already kept around 14 dogs.?
"A few dogs are rabid or have other diseases. This is a wrong perception that all street dogs are infectious," he added.?
But he's not alone. Yoga Lakshmi from Avadi let in 3 strays.?
"During heavy rains, there are many roadblocks and stagnations. Even if dogs want to get to a safer place, they get blocked out," she said.?
M Mahesh, a lorry repair shop owner, said his workshop is sheltering around 10 strays from the neighbourhood.
"They only seek temporary shelter. They themselves go away after the weather gets better. There is no need to worry about having to care for them long term," he said?
This is a nice gesture by those in Chennai. By giving these dogs refuge, they are saving them from a deadly situation. ??