Like the song by Wiz Khalifa goes…
“It’s been a long day without you, my friend,
And I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.”
Every day feels incomplete without some of our babies, who left us in 2021. Yet the salve that heals these wounds is the fact that we got to spend some glorious years in their company, and had the privilege to care for and love them.
A gem that we lost this year to renal failure was Suresh. For nine years, he was the ‘stud’ of VOSD with his majestic appearance. He was rescued by our founder Rakesh Shukla when he was just a wee puppy. Day and night, he cared for this fluffball until he grew into a handsome, large dog! Suresh was the first one to greet people at the gates of our sanctuary with his wide grin and fluffy, wagging tail. A couple of months ago though, age and its related illnesses caught up with him and he, unfortunately, breathed his last.
We’ll forever remember your warmth and kindness Suresh, you were dearly loved and we hope you’re happy wherever you are.
With a heavy heart, we’ve watched so many of our other oldies breathe their last this year like Rally, Brave, Satya, Chipkali, Cliffy, and some others. Three adorable senior dogs whom VOSD Pune had rescued from the streets – Mr. Bobo, Bholu, and Parker – also crossed the rainbow bridge in the retirement home we’d admitted them in. Our team bid them a teary farewell and were happy that these oldies at least got to spend the last few years of their life in peace.
Before we built an in-house crematorium in the VOSD Sanctuary, the dogs who passed away were laid to rest on campus. A sapling was planted where they are buried so that their pleasant memories forever live on. These beloved dogs’ friends now play around the trees whose shade also comforts them on a hot day. Nowadays when dogs are cremated, the ashes are collected and buried across the campus over which trees are planted as well, thus creating new life from the old.
To encourage us to continue the work we do – right from when a dog is surrendered to us until it breathes its last – please support us by donating generously: https://vosd.in/donation-for-dogs/.
We request you to send your love and good wishes to hundreds of dogs who stay with us and that they will remain healthy and happy in this new year!