4 months on, dog who ran away from firecrackers back home

A stray dog that had gone missing from Navi Mumbai almost four months ago was reunited with his pet parents earlier this week. The aged dog, which had run away from CBD Belapur on October 28 when firecrackers were being lit, was found wandering in Kamothe and was brought back home to the lane which was his territory and was welcomed back by his pet parents – an elderly couple who used to feed him and take care of him.
An animal rights activist said such compassion for an old, stray dog is “heart-warming” in these times when cruelty towards animals is not uncommon.
“Our pet named ‘Good Boy’ dreaded firecrackers,” said the elderly woman who said she’s glad he’s now reunited with her. Soon after he went missing, she said she had gone looking for him around the neighbourhood, but failed to find him.
“I showed his photograph to people but got no response... As he is more than 10 years of age, my husband and I had lost hope,” said the elderly woman who asked not to be named. With time, all hope of the stray dog’s return faded.
What helped was a name tag that had been strung around the dog’s scruff. It read ‘Good Boy’ on one side, and ‘Lane 5’ on the other side. Somehow the dog landed up in Kamothe and was spotted by people.
A photo of the dog with the details of where it was now being seen was posted across groups of animal lovers across Navi Mumbai and beyond, with a message to call up activist Vijay Rangare in case the canine was found. Rangare, who knows Navi Mumbai like the back of his palm, said ‘Lane 5’ is a local address in Nerul and CBD Belapur.
A few days after the message was posted, the elderly couple from CBD Belapur chanced upon it. Without losing any time, they dialled the contact person’s number. Rangare bundled up the aged dog into a vehicle and transported it to his home turf. “Not only were the elderly pet parents excited to have him back, the dog also seemed glad to be home,” said Rangare. The petting and patting have resumed, so is the sweet-talking.
“Yes, Good Boy’s back after four months. He seems to be a bit traumatised after being away for so long,” said the senior citizen who said she would not let him out for a few more days although he’s keen to run out.
Rangare pointed out how firecrackers can be hazardous in more ways than one. “Not only do they harm the environment, they also end up relocating, maiming or even killing animals,” he said. “At the same time, in today’s times when animal cruelty is at its worst, it is heart-warming to find people like this elderly couple who went out of their way to find an aged, stray dog that was lost.”
He said the elderly couple’s “grandchild” is more than happy to have Good Boy back home and visits him daily. Just for the record, the ‘grandchild’ he’s referring to is another stray dog adopted by their daughter.