Catching dogs from the streets of Mumbai is always a high-risk, high-stress job for IDA India staffers. Mumbai is an extremely overpopulated city, with cars crammed on the streets. Local trains run 24/7, and most stations have a train passing through every 4-5 minutes. Although the train stations are hugely crowded, they offer great opportunities for thousands of the city’s street-living dogs.

Hurried commuters who love animals manage to take time out to care for the railroad dogs, and often drop food at certain places for them. Multiple nooks, corners and spots under seats and walk-bridges offer shelter as well. This has encouraged many dogs to make the stations their homes. But the dangers for the railroad dogs are many; abuse from commuters who do not like them and the trains themselves. Sometimes, dogs get onto the tracks and are not quick enough to avoid the trains. Sometimes, dogs from another area are dumped at the railroad stations and they become frantic.

A call for IDA India to perform a train station rescue is usually enough for a staffer to skip a heartbeat. The rescues must be planned well and executed with extreme caution, no matter how urgent they are. The risk of danger to the dog and our staff are huge.

Last month, an urgent call came in from Deepa, a friend of IDA-India who had previously adopted an orphaned pup. It was raining heavily that night when Deepa told us about a very sick dog on a bridge at the Chembur station. He was reportedly very thin, covered with something resembling boils, and with food lying next to him untouched.

Two IDA-India volunteers visited that night and found a heart-rending sight. He was very malnourished and could not get up. A group of beggars on the bridge said that they saw someone dump him there and run away, leaving the dog frantic, very ill and alone in the unfamiliar station.

We dispatched our most experienced driver, Sanjay, and his assistant for this difficult job. When the pair got close to the dog, he would stand up and run in panic, then collapse. He clearly did not know his way around, and the rescuers could not afford for him to run onto the tracks. Three times a day, an entire team visited the dog to attempt to catch him. They never gave up. After three whole days and multiple rescue attempts, the dog was finally cornered in a safe spot and the team rushed in and got him on the 4th day!

He was brought back to the center and examined by Dr. Parab. He is terribly malnourished, and the vet suspects jaundice as well. We are awaiting his blood reports and are keeping him under observation while we care for him and help him recover from his traumatic ordeal.

We will bring you more updates about this railroad dog as soon as we can.

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