Badlapur family gives shelter to flood-hit strays - Hindustan Times
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Badlapur family gives shelter to flood-hit strays

ByAnkita G Menon, Kalyan
Aug 24, 2019 01:06 AM IST

A Badlapur family has rescued 12 stray dogs during the floods last month.

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A family of three, Neeta Kulkarni, 43, along with her son and daughter, are now struggling financially to take care of the dogs.

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Neeta had to leave her job to stay home to look after the dogs. They are facing flak from some neighbours for giving shelter to the dogs in their one bedroom-hall-kitchen flat.

“During the July 26 floods, we noticed the dogs barking the entire night. My mother and I then got 12 of them home. We cannot leave them stranded as they get scared with so much water all around,” said Ashlesha Kulkarni, 24, Neeta’s daughter.

Ashlesha works as a freelancer in an event organisation company.

“It has become difficult for us financially to look after the dogs. They need basic care, grooming, food and someone to clean after them. It is a task to manage all of this because one person has to be home at all the time. We are, therefore, looking for a shelter for them,” said Ashlesha.

Neeta and her family shifted to Badlapur in 2000 from Lalbaug. They had a pet dog. Being animal lovers, the Kulkarni family would regularly get home injured stray dogs or cats and treat them before letting them out again.

Last year, the family got 15 puppies home.

“We rescued the puppies from the street. One of them was about to come under a vehicle. With no proper shelter, the puppies were struggling to survive,” said Neeta.

“But now we have a total of 27 dogs at home. It is getting difficult for us to manage,” Neeta said.

The Kulkarni family tried getting in touch with various organisations, however, there was no response.

“The dogs were rescued during floods. We shall thus ensure that the family gets some help and provide shelter houses for the stray dogs,” said P Borse, commissioner, Badlapur Kulgaon Municipal Corporation.

Meanwhile, the Kulkarnis have been receiving flak from their neighbours for sheltering the dogs. “Not everyone in the society is animal-friendly. Stray dogs are not trained pets. They tend to litter the premises and sometimes wait outside the Kulkarni’s flat for them to open the door,” said a neighbour on condition of anonymity.

“This blocks the route and causes inconvenience for others. An alternative arrangement for the dogs is needed,” the neighbour said.

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