While some people have been feeding stray dogs during the lockdown, S Kuppuraj, a man from Mylapore in Chennai, does something completely different.
Everyday, he drives from Mylapore to Avadi (over 25 kms) to feed, bathe and to take care of a female dog named Cutie who he translocated from the Kapaleeshwarar Temple to a friend’s construction site.
Kuppuraj first found Cutie on a stationary tricycle that was kept near the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. He knew that the temple authorities would soon kick her out of that place as she suffered from mange, a skin disease.
So, he decided to relocate her at his friend’s construction site and ensured that she received proper treatment to cure the disease.
But soon, Cutie became pregnant and she wasn’t keeping well due to the skin disease. Many people advised Kuppuraj to sterilize her but, he ignored them.
He wanted Cutie to live a normal and happy life that she deserved so he decided to travel regularly to the construction site to take care of her and feed her. He said:
Since there was no one left at the construction site, I travelled regularly to the site with food for Cutie.
As the days went by, Cutie finally gave birth to eight puppies but, unfortunately only three survived. And, since both, the mother and the puppies needed intensive care, he decided to visit them every day. He said:
Like many, I too never expected that the lockdown would last long. But Cutie and the pups needed care, so I visited them every day, which I still do.
Kuppuraj has been taking care of Cutie for more than two decades now. She is like family to him and he has no plans of abandoning her.
Thankfully, with all the love and care that she has been receiving, her skin condition is improving and her pups are active and healthy too.
Kuppuraj says he will continue to visit the family every day, lockdown or no lockdown. He is also planning on relocating the family somewhere close to his house where he can take good care of them.