In Defence of A Stray Dog and A Neem Tree

Sweety

Last week I had the joy of conversing with Pratap Antony. I know him as a music aficionado, as founder-member of The Hyderabad Western Music Foundation and as a person who strives for peace in words and action.

But the conversation veered to something else—about how he defended a stray dog and a Neem tree for one whole year. I know folks who take care of stray dogs. I have seen my mom fight with neighbours who wanted to cut a Neem tree. But I have never met a person who has tirelessly spent an entire year on the same cause.


Pratap has three dogs (one passed away recently), all mixed breeds. Sweety was a sweet stray who lived in his colony. He had been feeding her for 3-4 years prior. The neem tree, well, trees live a long time—from that delicate sapling, they rise proud and happy, reach out to the sun, grow sturdy, throw out their branches, oxygenate our air, shade the creatures beneath, flower and fruit and flower and fruit.

That particular year, some new residents moved to the colony. They resented Sweety and wanted her evicted. But she was gentle, kept to herself—just was one of those creatures who liked her space. At the same time, the Neem tree sprouted an inconvenient branch which took away the view of a neighbour. He wanted the tree cut.

Security people were told to threaten the dog till she ran away. Like throwing stones or beating with sticks. Meanwhile woodcutters were brought in to fell the tree. Pratap objected. He had taken care of Sweety for some years and saw no reason for her to be harassed. And the Neem tree was precious enough to be protected.

Society association meetings tore into him, held him at fault, considered him a man who was not allowing easy comfort in their lives. He fought and fought (read his piece: “Defending Trees-Catching Flak” ).  He read up laws of the state and the country. Did you know that the GOI (Government Of India) Animal Birth Control rules 2001 states that no sterilized dogs can be relocated from their area? Sweety was sterilized and regularly vaccinated. Or that the previous AP laws (APWALTA) hold that trees cannot be cut or pruned beyond a finger length without due permission? Read more about the laws and the struggle in Pratap’s own words here: "People Who Care Create Centres of Energy and Hope."

If you think it was an easy journey—reading up laws, writing letters, calling people, attending association meetings—you are wrong. Pratap went through an emotionally trying time that year. But he didn’t give up. He just didn’t give up.

Yes, in the end he won. He had studied the laws well and invoked it appropriately and effectively. He gathered support from relevant welfare organizations. The law prevailed. Compassion prevailed. Oh, did you know the neighbors who wanted Sweety evicted adopted a dog themselves? The little ironical surprises of life :-)

I wondered why I had listened to this story so keenly. Was it just because it was inspiring or because I felt a connection to Sweety? For aren’t women like me, single and rebellious, like a stray dog? Occupying in-between spaces of society, not belonging to a family, being vulnerable to changing social conditions, harassed occasionally for not conforming, being easy targets for ridicule-- stray at some level? And yet how we choose to sustain that onslaught and remain!

For this story is not only Pratap’s victory but also the victory of Sweety who didn’t run away and leave the colony and also the victory of the Neem tree that just kept growing.