The Pariah Preservationist: A woman's journey to save India's native dog breed

'Each individual providing sustenance to a dog, each person administering vaccinations to one and each person adopting a single canine, can collectively lead to a significant reduction in the problem of stray dog over population.'

Delhi— She is a television actress. A corporate trainer on behavioral and soft skills, Tarana Singh has anchored, hosted and presented hundreds of corporate events, award functions and film events in India and Internationally for over 15 years.

But apart from her professional life, there is a woman who has deep compassion for the Indian Pariah or the desi dogs. She has adopted 7 community dogs from the society over the past 17 years and have been encouraging friends and acquaintances to foster the hounds. Her Noida home, in a 69 acres society Jaypee Aman, has more than 60 dogs inside and some 30 outside the complex and Tarana have been feeding them daily. There are over 4 thousand flats with 20 thousand people living in the society however during the pandemic, Tarana emerged as the first Feeder and Caregiver recognized by the Animal Welfare Board of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Caregivers too, a part of family

But Tarana isn’t alone in this community welfare service. During the pandemic, she not only adopted the Desi dogs but also adopted a family that was in need. They are now a part of her caregivers and volunteer to feed and care for her 7 pet dogs as well as help walk them. Anish (62), his wife, Reena (58), had never even touched a dog. They now love, walk and feed the dogs at home as well as volunteer in feeding the community dogs of Jaypee Aman. Even their son, Shub, is a part of the Jaypee Aman Animal Welfare Volunteer group.

Predilection for canines

Tarana has always been deeply enamored with fauna, but her predilection for canines was ignited during her formative years. Her father was a brigadier in the army and Tarana's attachment for dogs grew with each postings. "I had a peculiar inclination towards inverting the spelling of words, for instance, rather than writing MALA, I would write it as ALAM. Engaging in such whimsical diversions, I stumbled upon the word DOG and was struck by the aesthetic elegance of its reverse, GOD. This only served to further kindle my affection for them. I call them 'DOGODS' because they have given me the purpose to my life" says the animal activist. One of her favorite pal Subbu whom she adopted from Mumbai streets travelled with her through India over, 30,000 kms in Tata Nano car. He also flew in airplanes and boarded Rajdhani trains.

Each One Feed, Vaccinate & Adopt One

Sharing with The Mooknayak, her compassion for the mongrels , Tarana says" there is nothing more gratifying than watching stray dogs, often referred to as "Aawaraa" (homeless or abandoned) but they are 'hamara' and we should take care of them. "Each One Feed One, Each One Vaccinate One & Each One Adopt One" is the simple mantra which can curb the street dog over population and create a congenial environment for them in the community.

Tarana has been instrumental in facilitating the adoption of numerous stray dogs and ensuring that they find loving and responsible homes. Even after placing them in new homes, she diligently follows up with the adopters to ensure that the animals are well cared for and thriving in their new environments.

Soul connections need no labels

Tarana asserts, she does not consider herself a "dog mom" or feel the need to attach any label to her affection for them. Dogs are more than just pets, they are great companions that can provide emotional support, motivation, and a sense of purpose to their owners."My feelings and love for these animals are known only to them and to God. Despite the fact that some may ridicule and mock my devotion towards stray dogs, it does not diminish the depth of my affection, it's purely a soul connection and I owe all my happiness to them "the actress says.

People consider them dirty

Tarana says there are several reasons why Indian Pariah Dogs are not adopted as pets as much as other breeds of dogs.

One reason is that they are not recognized by most Kennel Clubs and they don't have a standardized appearance, which can make it difficult for people to identify them as a specific breed. Another reason is that they are considered to be "scavengers" by some people and may have a reputation for being dirty or unhygienic. This can make them less appealing to some people as pets.

"However, Indian Pariah Dogs are known for their loyalty, affection and hardiness. They are well-suited to the Indian climate and environment, and they are known to be resistant to certain diseases. With proper training, socialization and care, they can make great pets for families and individuals," she claims.