Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Goa on Wednesday night for a private visit, returned on Thursday with a three-month-old Jack Russell Terrier puppy. Sharvani Pitre, who runs a dog kennel in North Goa's Mapusa, and her husband, Stanley Braganca, said earlier this week they received a call from Gandhi's office inquiring about the availability of two short-legged Jack Russell Terrier puppies. On Thursday around 9 am, Gandhi visited the family in Mapusa. "We breed several exotic breeds of dogs. We were told that he [Gandhi] had lost a pet [dog] recently. We did not know he would visit in person. It was a short visit. He came across as a humble and down-to-earth person. He chatted with us like a friend and had coffee. Most of the time, he was engrossed in playing and interacting with the dogs and selected two Jack Russell Terrier puppies," said Pitre. She said this breed of dogs is known for a heightened sense of sight and smell. "They are intelligent, friendly, hyper-active and agile." "He took one puppy with him and another will be sent to him later," she added. During his short visit, Gandhi also met Congress leaders in the state, including the Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Yuri Alemao and Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar.
