The woman with 60 dogs

For the past two decades,amma has been taking care of all the strays in the complex,spending her negligible income on their food and medication.

As one approaches her shanty,her dogs alert her of the presence of strangers rousing her from her daily siesta. A closer look inside and one sees wooden beds laid out for dogs,jute gunny bags on the floor to keep the puppies warm,big utensils,a steel bowl for water and a thin stick by her side. “This is my family. I have children of my own but I won’t live with them. My son tried for months to make me leave from here but I didn’t budge. I haven’t gone back to my village in seven years. Who will take care of them if I leave?” she says.

It was in the 1980s that amma shifted to Delhi from Nandigram,and worked as a help at actor Rahul Dev’s home and soon after opened a tea stall in the complex.

“I used to have a dog in the village too — Tony. And when I used to work the tea stall,I used to keep feeding mathis and fen to the strays and one day one of them delivered a litter. I picked three — Sheru,Jhumki and Kaali. Parivaar badta raha aur yeh sab inki hi family hai (The numbers just increased from there… these are all of the same family) ,” she explains.

Those who know of her often leave abandoned or injured puppies and dogs at her doorstep,assured that she will take good care of them.

“I can’t say no to them. Some people love families,some love money but I love dogs. Earlier,I used to earn Rs 2,000 a week but now I am old and have high blood pressure,but we manage somehow,” says amma,as she plays with Gaurav and Sweety,the new puppies of the family.

For the past 10 years,amma was a ragpicker. She made her living with whatever money she got from selling the bits and pieces,which she salvaged from grabage bins. Often strangers come and help her as some donate food while others give away mattresses or money for the dogs.

Now,a 20-something Ramesh helps her out. He was a member of NGO Circle of Animal Lovers till a few weeks ago. He left the NGO to help amma take care of the dogs. Irrespective of the financial crunch,amma is very particular about the quality of food that she feeds the dogs and their vaccination as well.

Even if I don’t have food,I ensure that my dogs are fed 5kg of rice and meat every day,” she says. Apart from the 50-plus dogs that live with her,Amma goes around feeding some 200 dogs in the complex twice a day.

Like the Pied Piper,they follow her around. “You know,if a new ragpicker comes around the complex,they alert me and chase him away,” she says with a laugh.