As an avid animal lover, I feel the uncontrollable urge to pet any animal that passes even remotely close to me. Such was the case at Tashi View Point.
While everyone else was busy shopping and taking photographs, I had my eyes set on the little brown puppy walking around the place. He was simple adorable. And when I got close enough to him, I crouched down and beckoned him to me. The energetic little puppy came running to me and I was overjoyed. It came to me like I was his long lost owner. He started licking my hand as I tried to pet him, and was jumping around, wagging his tail. Getting this reaction from an animal has to be one of the happiest things in the world.
Our embrace was broken up when my parents told me off for touching a dirty street dog. I stood around for a while, watching the puppy. He seated himself in front of a bench, where two men were eating popcorn. It was quite obvious that he was hungry. But he made no noise. He just sat there, hoping to get a bite to eat. I desperately wished I had kept some food with me.
When the men left the bench, so did the puppy. I noticed a piece of popcorn lying on the seat. I discreetly grabbed it and took it to the puppy a few feet away. He started jumping when he saw me, and when I offered the popcorn, he immediately took it and started playing with it, while trying to eat it.
I was enjoying watching this adorable ball of fur before me when I saw him approach. He was a big dog with yellow fur, and he was coming straight at me. For a second I was scared. I didn't have any food to give the new comer. I was crouching on the floor and so this dog was as tall as me. What if he attacks me? It was too late to get away.
But he just stood there benignly. He motioned with his head that he wanted me to pet him, and so I did. And he looked extremely satisfied. I was relieved. He didn't want food; he just wanted someone to pet him.
That's the thing about cats and dogs. Just like humans have three basic needs (food, shelter and clothing), they too have their own basic needs - food, shelter and petting.
I rubbed the dogs head, and I felt there was bond forming between us - like we've known each other all our lives and we were now being reunited. I wanted nothing more than to take him home with me.
Just then, they called me; to leave the stray dog alone and to come take some pictures with them. I reluctantly left the dog behind and approached them, only for them to look behind me and let out gasps. The big dog was following me around. Apparently, he was not having enough of me petting him.
Even as I sat down on the bench to take a photo, he wouldn't leave me alone. While everyone else saw this as a menace, it warmed my heart to see him following me around. So we ended up taking the pictures together - me with the dog that refused to go away.
All this makes me think, how much the dogs would have been craving attention to follow me around like this. How much they crave to be loved.
Saying goodbye was the hard part. It was like leaving behind a long lost lover, never to see him again. He watched me descend the steps after I kissed him goodbye. I swear, if he had followed me down the steps, I would have cried.
One think I noticed about the dogs of Sikkim was that every single one of them was incredibly handsome. They all had thick fur (I suppose they would need to, considering the climate) and looked well fed. I assume people took care of them, despite them being street dogs. Just like the people, even the dogs here are decent and friendly (unlike the hostile dogs in my hometown). Man, I love this place!
I think I'll move to Gangtok and adopt a couple of dogs. Yep, seems like a good idea.
Then again, why stop at a couple?
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