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Journalism of Courage
Once abandoned and left tied up at just 45 days old, a Labrador named Dali is now winning hearts as a budding artist. With a brush in her mouth and a purpose behind every stroke, Dali – named after the iconic Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali by her humans – is using her talent to support stray dog rescue efforts. And she’s doing it in style.
“She used to snatch the brush from my husband, who is an artist,” Hoi Choudhury, who adopted Dali, told the Press Trust of India (PTI). “She’d run off with it playfully. One of our friends joked that maybe it’s her way of protesting, maybe she actually wants to be part of it. So we let her try, and when she touched the canvas, we were overjoyed. It was like she was saying, ‘I want to paint too!’” she said.
That moment sparked something beautiful. Dali now creates expressive abstract paintings using a custom-designed, dog-friendly brush that Snehangshu Debnath, Choudhury’s partner, made at home. “We did some research and realised we needed a dog-friendly brush, something she could hold comfortably in her mouth. So, we made one at home using a wooden block, carefully carved to fit her jaw,” he told PTI.
Dali’s colourful creations eventually led to the launch of a limited-edition calendar featuring twelve of her most popular works. “We thought we would sell these paintings worldwide and the entire money would go for the rescue and treatment of stray dogs. And it happened and people appreciated it and purchased it,” Debnath said.
According to The Better India, Dali’s paintings have already helped raise Rs 35,000, which has been directed towards the medical care of injured and abandoned strays.
Her story has since gone viral, touching thousands online. One user wrote, “I will never understand how people can hurt or abandon a pet.” Another commented, “She is a sweetheart. God bless the couple who adopted her.” An Instagram user who bought Dali’s calendar, said, “I’m so glad to have your calendar with some of your paintings!!! Beautiful works of art!!”
“Cutest painter I have ever seen,” said another Instagram user.
Today, Dali even has her own Instagram page with nearly 50K followers, where she’s lovingly described as “India’s 1st Painter Dog.”
