Neck-deep in water, this vet saved 25 dogs

Muffin, a Rajapalayam dog, had given birth to seven pups on December 2 early in the morning, but the staff members who made it to work later in the day, didn’t realise that the flood situation would have them stay on at the workplace by several hours. The staff and the veterinarian on duty ensured that the mother and fresh litter were housed in the kennel with all the necessary arrangements made to keep them warm. Suddenly, the place started filling with water from the nearby Adyar river. Till around 2 pm, there was knee deep water, then the water level kept rising, and by evening, all 25 dogs and the fresh litter in the unit were in grave danger.

C. Sivasankar, clinician, Government Veterinary Polyclinic, immediately swung into action. “They were too scared and kept howling as they sensed something was amiss. The water levels didn’t show any signs of receding, and at one point, they were almost under water and we could only see their eyes,” he recounts.

Sivasankar, who has been in the field for close to 30 years and had taken over as clinician only in October last year, immediately took the lead and began carrying the dogs out one by one from the kennel to a nearby building to ensure their safety. “The staff was initially reluctant and they weren’t sure of their own safety. Some of them feared drowning in the water that had swept our premises with force. But I told them there was no other way and asked them to follow me.” 

The unit has close to 25 dogs, including local breeds, like Rajapalayam and Sippiparai, apart from the pedigree ones, like the Labrador, Rottweiler, Doberman and Dalmatian. “The dogs housed in the unit are big and some of them can get ferocious when they sense danger. The uneven surface made it even more difficult because we didn’t know if there were potholes ahead,” he says. 

Followed by four other staff members, Sivasankar and his team made close to four trips to collect the dogs’ other items, like food and bowls. “One of them carried the pups in a huge aluminium vessel,” he adds. 

Setting up a temporary kennel for the rescued dogs, Sivasankar and his team ensured that the mother and her pups were kept warm. “Soon after the rains, temperatures had dipped and the weather could have been very harsh on the new-borns. We made an enclosure for them with enough ventilation. The other dogs were kept in makeshift kennels, we clubbed breeds that got along with each other. Since it was a new place, there would have been chaos, if they felt uncomfortable. A watchman was asked to keep a vigil on them.”     

The dogs were brought back after the sludge left behind by the floods was cleared. “The credit goes to the dogs too, they cooperated with the rescue. It shows that they trust us,” adds Sivasankar.