SNOOPY OUR LITTLE ANGEL
Born 4th April 2001
It was around mid night in May 2001 that little angel Snoopy came to us. I and Seema had been married for a year and as dog lovers who had always had their own dogs we decided to get one. We contacted some breeders & a Madras based one told us that there is one Lhasa Apso available whose entire Litter has died and the colour is a bit different. Yes she was different and over the years became a part of us. She left us today after a fulfilling life of 16 years and 2 months, 102 yrs plus in terms of human age.
She was so small when we took her from the Airport that she fitted into the palms of our hands. The breeder said that she should be given cerelac for a few days and we rushed to Bombay Hospital medicine shop and gave her the first meal. From there she became a complete part of our life and was a bundle of joy. From one who could not jump even onto our mattress of 8 inches which we used on the floor those days to one who used to run like a bullet and jump easily onto 3 feet high beds or shelf’s she was such a quicky. Whenever the door bell would ring she would be the first to run rapidly to the door and try to survey who had come.
She became a frequent flyer with us and used to travel with us everywhere. She was loving to the family but a watchdog par excellence who would bite all undesirable elements on their heels. She could communicate like humans and tell us all her emotions. Her eyes, which were so expressive, were amazing. The last three months were very tough for us and her. She lost one of her eyes to cataract nearly a year back and became totally blind two months back, this really hit her and she could not ultimately adapt.
Whenever I would come back from office she would run to me and jump on my lap. What a bundle of joy. When Suhani was born in the year 2004 our attention was split. As Suhani became older two things remained the same. Snoopy would always sleep on our bed & Suhani on a Separate cot, secondly I continued with my tradition of loving Snoopy first and then loving Suhani. The child in Suhani did not like these things and she became Anti Snoopy for some time. However Snoopy was loving and protective towards Suhani & slowly turned around Suhani who over the last 7-8 years loved Snoopy more than anyone else.
Whenever Suhani would go to the market she would want to buy something for Snoopy, a new toy which Snoopy would immediately try to tear off. A new bed, a new eating bowl or new clips or dresses for her. Over time a few toys, bed, clothes became her favourite and she would want to stick to them.
I left foreign assignments in Singapore as their rules of taking animals in were very strict. We always thought that we would move abroad. However Snoopy changed that all and ensured that we never left India. She made us take a decision that was the best one in our life. All good things happened in our life after she came into our life.
Snoopy was detected with heart disease 6 years back and was put on medicines which she would have morning and night. She was a fighter and continued her natural self for the next 5 years before starting to go down over the last 12 months. The no frills selfless love of dogs can never be seen in ego driven humans. I would need to discipline her sometimes, scold her too but she would again love from the next moment. She finally stopped travelling with us 4 years back as her heart became too weak to take the stress of travelling on flights. However she would make all the household help love her. She would blackmail them into giving her more than the quota of her favourite Jeri Carrot Chicken sticks as she would stare at them with pleading eyes till they melted and gave her what she wanted.
A part of our live went away today at 7 AM as snoopy breathed her last. She knew and we knew she was going. I kept her in my lap the entire night as she found it difficult to breathe. Even at the end she was considerate towards us and did not go at night but after dawn. She was some enlightened soul who could see both good and bad coming way before it actually came into our lives. She would communicate the same to my wife Seema in ways that no one can imagine. I am sure she has gone to a better place to god and the soul will be born in a different place a different body sometime soon. We will live with her sweet memories throughout. We know that she will be always looking over us as an Angel of god.
Dearest Snoopy, may you rest in peace.