'Divine’ dog that did 'parikrama' of Hanuman idol had neuro issues, rescued by vets

Meerut: A stray dog in Bijnor that became a viral sensation attracting thousands of believers after villagers found it doing "parikrama" of a Hanuman idol was rescued last week in an urgent but quiet operation by vets who said its circling of the deity was the result of a neurological disorder. On Friday, vets at a hospital in Delhi told TOI, the canine was "much better" and ready to go back to its hometown. Videos of the dog, which local residents named 'Bhairav', were being widely shared on social media when it reached some activists and vets. They immediately knew what the problem could be and devised a way to whisk the canine away for treatment. "The unusual behaviour was not driven by any spiritual instinct but by a tick-borne bacterial infection that likely caused a neurological disorder," one of them told TOI. The rescue itself was anything but easy. "It was Jan 14 when we first learned that a dog had been continuously circling an idol inside a temple for the past two days," said Sandhya Rastogi, an animal activist. "The moment we saw him, we realised something was amiss. His movements clearly pointed to an illness." Rastogi said Bhairav was visibly weak, dehydrated and had stopped eating altogether. "He was exhausted. But since people started worshipping him, it was difficult for us to intervene. We were torn between respect for people's faith and the risk it posed to the poor animal," she said on Friday. For the next few days, Rastogi and her team tried to reason with devotees, explaining that the dog was critically unwell and needed urgent medical care. "People could see for themselves that the animal wasn't drinking water or eating anything. Still, they believed he was divine. We felt helpless," she said. As Bhairav's condition worsened, activists pleaded with the temple authorities for permission to at least administer fluids. "They reluctantly agreed, but said it should be done only after dark, when devotees were no longer around," Rastogi recalled. "That moment felt like a ray of hope. We had been camping there for three days by then." Under the cover of darkness, the team gave Bhairav fluids and basic medication. The next day, when he managed to drink some milk and eat glucose biscuits, a few devotees began to trust the activists' concerns. However, by then Bhairav could barely stand. "We rescued him late in the night and rushed him to an animal shelter in Noida," Rastogi said. Sanjay Mohapatra, founder of Noida-based House of Stray Animals, who is currently taking care of Bhairav, said an MRI confirmed neurological disorder caused by a recent accident or injury. "An ultrasound revealed that his intestines were swollen, likely due to inappropriate food offered by devotees, including sweets such as gajar halwa and puris. The diet aggravated his digestive system, leading to gastrointestinal distress," said Mohapatra. Blood tests confirmed Bhairav was infected with anaplasma, a tick-borne bacterial disease commonly known as tick fever. The infection affects white blood cells and can cause fever, lethargy, joint pain, loss of appetite, bleeding complications. "Bhairav is now recovering, his fever is gone and appetite restored. We will ensure he gets back to Bijnor soon," Mohapatra said.