Cara was a 9 month’s old beautiful black stray bitch who came into my life thanks to my friends Tandrali and Sonali. She was picked up by them from in front of a famous hotel in Delhi, when she was being chased off the campus by the staff. Feeling sorry for the scrawny little thing, Tandrali decided to bring her to Friendicoes. While being picked up, Cara did not resist at all as if she sensed they were her friends and happily went with the two of them. Normally street dogs do not respond so well to strangers, especially if they are being picked up and bundled off somewhere! But it was this trait in her that set her apart and made her so endearing to all.

Because of her gentle and docile nature, Cara did not mix well with the other dogs at Friendicoes. She therefore had to be kept confined in a cage. Having heard so much about her, I was curious to see her and went to Friendicoes to have a look. She was supposed to be put up for adoption. But the minute I saw her, she touched my heart somewhere and for many consequent days I carried her face in my mind. Like all street dogs, she seemed starved for affection and attention, that every time I took a step near her cage, she would wag her bushy tail in gratitude.

My trips to Friendicoes increased, mainly to see Cara and spend some time with her till ultimately one day I took her home. She had been put up for adoption but unfortunately no one came forward to adopt her. By now she had caught a bad cold that was gradually developing to lung congestion, so my decision was made for me. The day I went to pick her up I was the happiest person in the world. I went up to her cage, looked her in the eyes, and almost shouted “You are mine. All mine.”

My husband is not used to having animals around him and had never had a pet before. I was nervous as to how he would react to her especially as she was unwell. But the minute she entered my house he was convinced that she had to be with us. After deliberating on a lot of names for her, I settled for the name Cara, after a friend of mine who is also a very dedicated volunteer at Friendicoes.

Cara was quiet, non-demanding and seemed content with wherever she was. Due to her sickness, she didn’t really have a hearty appetite but loved having some warm chicken broth. Surprisingly, she also developed a taste for dog chews! She was on my mind all the time when I was out of the house...I would rush home from work early everyday and would rush up the stairs anxiously and would always find her sitting pretty on my bed! The neighborhood children would come every evening to play with her and she loved being around children. The smaller they were the happier she would be!

But there wasn’t much improvement in her health and one evening she seemed a little too lethargic to even go for her walk. My husband suggested we take her to Friendicoes immediately. We reached Friendicoes and she took two steps towards the clinic and collapsed. Our hearts sank as nothing prepared us for what was coming. She never regained consciousness!! The vet told us the lack of nutrition in her short life led to a weak immune system which ultimately led to her death.



I felt like I had lost a child. She is buried at the Friendicoes Sanctuary in Gurgaon. Later when I and my husband discussed her we both agreed that we felt blessed that she came into our life for however short the time…




Arti Verma

Adopt a dog from a shelter TODAY!