The Indie Dog

Do Strays Matter In Richard’s Town More Than Elsewhere?

Radha Thomas / Mia Bhat / Sunita Vaznaik Season 1 Episode 4

I speak first to Mia Bhat, a 14 year old schoolgirl for whom online lessons are just great because she can spend more time on street dog activity as opposed to commuting two hours a day to Inventure Academy. 

She found herself drawn into the world of Indie dogs quite by chance. Or maybe not. The Indie dog is quite beguiling. Their puppy dog eyes and yelps are irresistible.

In a year or so, Mia has become well-known in the doggie rescue community. She has helped a lot of streeties with her enthusiasm, fund raising and general willingness pitch in.
 
 Then I talk to Sunita Vaznaik, who with her husband Arjun, has been involved with street dog welfare for many years. They run an organization called Strays Matter. Their story is complicated and ongoing. It’s a story of hope.
 
They live in Richards Town, where they’ve accomplished something unique.  Strays Matter,  is a hand- on organization that has kept the dogs in their area happy, sterilized, vaccinated and disease free. You can find them on Facebook. 
 
Sunita is a clinical psychologist, a measured, calm and composed individual who brings a kind of tranquility wherever she goes. I felt it… and I’m sure the doggies do too.  Her husband Arjun (whom I’ll definitely invite on show the soon) is a man of action she says.
 
In the world of animal welfare, just when you think you’ve reached a happy state, something happens to ‘bleep’ it up. On the day of this interview, Sunita was waiting for the toxicology results on two dogs that had been poisoned. The following day, it was confirmed that the dogs had been fed Hydrocyanic Acid. Hydrogen Cyanide.