This puppy love is forever

Love’s pure for sure. And if you share this bond withyour pet it becomes all the more special. So special that at times it can alsotake a fatal turn. Sample these incidents: Recently an old couple committedsuicide in Hyderabad after the death of their dog — their companion forlast 13 years. The other day a pet dog went mad in Lucknow after his ownerpassed away. We talk to celebs who own dogs, a veterinary doctor and a psychologist to find out why this bond with dogs is so special. “They are my babies. And no one dare call them dogs,”warns actor Koena Mitra who has four pet dogs. “My pets are myonly family members here. They make up for the absence of all others. It feelsso good after I return from a stressful day at shoots and there I have my petswaiting to maul me with their attention and affection.” But don’tstars get enough attention from their fans? “Now, that’s an unfaircomparison! Where can I expect such love as my pet Kooky shows? Eachtime I move out of the house, Kooky waits outside my bathroom thinking thatI’m still in there. My maid has to keep the bathroom tap on to make herbelieve that I’m actually inside. Who’d not want to feel sospecial?” she reasons. Actor Rati Agnihotri, who has threepet dogs in Mumbai and one each in Khandala and Pune, is so much in love withher Labradors that she says, “If I had my way, I would keep 10 more dogswith me.” She laughs and continues, “Dogs are so affectionate thatyour attachment is bound to grow by the day. I’ve had pet dogs since mychildhood and now they are so much a part of my life that without themlife’s unimaginable. It’s a reciprocal feeling. My petsjust refuse to eat whenever I go out of station. My family has to coax them intoeating. Similarly, when I’m leaving my pets in Khandala and Pune, theyrefuse to see me off as they can’t see me going.” That’s astrong bond indeed. Actor Rajeev Paul, is yet another self-confesseddoglover. He avers, “The kind of love and support I get from them,especially dogs, is what makes me go for them. My pet, Gabbar Singh (aLabrador), has helped me get over bad phases in my career. I always seek solacein him whenever I am down and out. Likewise, I’m so touched each time mybrother tells me how Gabbar sits by my bedside when I’m out oftown.” Ask Dr SK Agarwal, a vet, and he explains the reasonfor this special bond. “Dogs are the most sensitive and loving of allanimals. And that’s the reason which ties us to them. I’ve comeacross cases where the dog had turned mad or was behaving strangely becauseeither the owner had passed away or he was out of station. That’s becauseof the attachment they have with their master. But medically, there’s nocure for such cases. Only time and love can act as a healer for them.”According to Dr Hamida Zarin, head of Psychology Dept, IT College,“The bonding is inevitable. For, dogs give what we fail to get from others– unconditional love. And while we can connect with humans on a cognitiveand behavioural level, our bonding with pets is purely on an emotional levelwhich is much stronger than any other.”arunima.srivastava@indiatimes.co.in