As a child, Mrinal Jha grew up with her family dog, but as an adult, she pined and yearned for another pet for years. In 2013 her dream came true when her husband and daughter brought home a beagle pup. “Once there was a dog in my life again, I went berserk,” laughs the 45-year-old television writer and producer. “I started fostering for World For All (an animal NGO) and it was a joyful experience to find out the pups got a great home.” But in 2015, Jha experienced her first foster fail when Barfi, a little 2.5-week-old runt of the litter arrived. He was separated from his mother with his siblings in Sion. “He was such a tiny [piece of] fluff and I had to keep him in a box to keep him warm. I fostered him for a longer time because he was so tiny and eventually it was impossible to let him go after fostering him for two months.” With two dogs, Jha’s home was a fun house. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Then earlier this year, the Kandivali resident was needed for a special case. A pup had been rescued from the gutter, only skin and bones with tar covering every inch of her tiny body. An experienced foster parent, Jha knew to bring the pup back to life. “She was about three months old and had spent time in several fosters,” say Jha adding that the pup would have a home for a week and then have change fosters. “She was extremely tentative, shy and wary of humans… scared of men especially.” Something inside Jha told her this was going to be another foster fail. Now christened Chippy, the 10-month-old pup is still learning to come out of her shell. “Taking her for a walk is a huge issue and she has been with me for seven months,” says Jha.
Slowly and surely Chippy is becoming the dog her owner knows she can be. Though there’s a hierarchy at home, all three canine siblings get along peacefully. Snoopie, the boss, knows his first-born status and lords it over the other two. Barfi though milks the pampering he receives constantly. “We all imagined he would grow up to be a medium-sized indie but he just kept growing,” laughs Jha, adding that Barfi still believes he’s really tiny. “He’s very loving and sensitive. He’s an autist, he needs everything to happen in a certain way, especially his meals,” she says. Chippy, the latest addition to the Jha clan, maybe shy and demure outside, but she’s a lion at home. “My bedroom is her fortress and she has to get first pick on any new toy,” smiles Jha, who may have failed at fostering twice, but has won in so many other ways.
