His skin had peeled off exposing raw pink flesh. Acid had burnt most parts of his body, including a patch on his face. Once somebody’s pet, he had been reduced to a festering bundle of flesh and bones. For three days the dog lay at the spot on the Vyttila-Janata Road suffering excruciating pain. Finally, a passerby decided to give a call to B. Pradip Kumar to get the dog to safety.
When Pradip reached the spot, he was appalled. “Someone had thrown acid at him. The poor creature had suffered much more than what is conceivable. He was in no shape to walk, but he was still battling for life. I put him in the back seat of my car and took him to the hospital,” he says. It took about four hours for the doctors at the PET Hospital to clean him. But after treatment and intensive care, which spanned over 50 days, the dog regained his previous strength. “He is now perfectly alright and is at the temporary shelter at the hospital. He can recognise my voice from a distance and it fills me up with so much joy. I have named him Ricky,” says Pradip.
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For the last 16 years, Pradip has been a human helpline, rescuing injured animals. He has lost count of the number of animals he has rescued. All he can say is that there have been cats, squirrels, dogs and birds including a bat. Pradip repeatedly says he denounces publicity, but by virtue of his activism, he has earned the respect of people around him in Kochi. “I just want to create awareness about cruelty to animals. They too have a right to life. They too deserve dignity,” he says. Some of the dogs he has rescued are in search of homes. “We are looking at people who are interested in adopting these animals,” he says. Since he lives in an apartment, which does not encourage its residents to own pets, Pradip goes about identifying people who are willing to take care of the animals he rescues. He offers them the funds required to provide for the animal, too. “Most apartment complexes in Kochi are not in favour of rearing pets. The problem starts there. Our attitude towards animals should change.”
His ultimate aim is to bring together like-minded individuals, who would help him in his work. “Already, about 100 people have come forward to volunteer and some have offered financial help, too,” Pradip says. An organisation named Kerala Animal Rescue and Ministering Association (KARMA) has been formed to help abandoned and injured animals. The focus would not be on meetings and talks, but actual action, stresses Pradip. Anybody who feels for the cause and wants to help as volunteers can contact Pradip at 9447113600.