Keeping a Dog in Mumbai - A Personal Tail

My friend Amy and her husband who live nearby to me in Bandra have been fostering Leroy for just under a year.  Leroy is a very friendly and very cute street dog ("Pariah") that they have looked after since birth. Very sadly, due to landlord restrictions in their building, the couple are trying to look for a new and caring owner or family for Leroy.  Luckily for this new owner, Leroy comes already fully house and human trained! If you are interested in following this up or if you would like to 'road-test' Leroy, the contact details are at the bottom of the page - or you can contact me and I will pass on a message.  I am keen to help Amy find Leroy a new, loving owner as he does so deserve to go to a good home!

Here is what Amy has to say about keeping a dog in Mumbai:

 

"In February of this year Leroy came into this world.  He was one of six pups born to a street dog under a vehicle in the car park of a friend’s apartment building in Bandra. As known dog lovers, my husband and I were approached to foster him whilst suitable long term parents could be found for him. At first, we were concerned about the lack of proper dog amenities in our locale and didn’t think looking after a dog could be done.  But after seeing those puppy eyes, we immediately fell in love and agreed to foster Leroy on a temporary basis, making room for him in our relatively compact apartment. After all, it wasn’t as though he knew about the rolling hills of the South Downs in Britain and therefore surely a life in our flat would be better than on the street or in a kennel…or worse should he have to be put down.

 

Leroy - How cute is that pose?!

Leroy is an Indian Pariah (which is what most, if not all, the street dogs here are). He is a short-haired blonde bundle of fun. Pariah dogs by nature are very alert - making him a great guard dog.  They can be initially wary of humans until they’ve given them a good sniff down.  The most notable characteristic of Leroy is his loyalty; he is always so keen to learn, so desperate to please and will do anything for a stroke and a cuddle. If ever there was an alpha male, it’s not Leroy! He loves other dogs, he loves company and he loves playing. He is definitely not looking to be the boss and never looks for a fight!

 So what about the outdoor space and walks? We are lucky that we do have a terrace and Leroy enjoys eyeing up the crows and pigeons from it. But thanks to the heat, he spends most of the day snoozing inside the house. Most days, we are able to walk him twice and this keeps him in check. All we do is walk around the block so that he can enjoy the sights and smells. Pariahs do not need a great deal of exercise as they are naturally lean dogs and sleeping is their main hobby (a real asset in Mumbai!) But whenever required, Juhu beach is also a great place for dogs to run and romp and we have spent many fun times there together. On the maintenance side, vets in Mumbai are very reasonably priced and so far I’ve only had to take him for routine vaccinations and de-worming.

All in all, having a dog in Mumbai is as fulfilling here as it is ‘back home’. That’s why we are so saddened that our fostering has come to an end and we will have to find Leroy a ‘forever home’. We have really warmed to him, but since our circumstances don’t allow us to keep him permanently we have no choice but to find him new loving parents (sniff sniff).  Please form an orderly queue!"

 

 

If you are interested in adopting Leroy please contact Amy on amybroomhead@yahoo.co.uk or telephone 99300 58312. You can meet and ‘dog-sit’ Leroy with no obligation to adopt him.   Amy lives in Bandra.

Note by BombayJules:  I can vouch for Leroy - he is adorable!  If Mr Jules would allow me a dog, I would have snapped him up right away.  I just went to visit him (or should I say Amy!) and he posed for me...how can you possibly resist those eyes...please call and book your trial!!