My name is Pearl, and I’m a precious white and pale brown pearl of a pup, flying from India on October 13. Where could you find a puppy as adorable as me? On a Hallmark card, or peeking out of a stocking on the pages of a Christmas catalog, or…at a garbage dump?
It’s the honest truth, a dump in New Delhi, that’s where my rescuer spotted me. I was tiny and alone, without my mother or my litter mates, and to make matters worse, I was being attacked by bigger dogs! It would have broken your heart if you had seen little me, limping away from the mean dogs as fast as I could, hiding under piles of stinking trash. Thankfully, the person who did see me was Isobel Grant, fairy dogmother to many Indian dogs. Isobel whisked me away to safety just in time, and now that I’m cleaned up, happy, and healthy, I’m flying to Chicago to find the sweet life I deserve.
I’m about 4 months old, and still learning about the wider, kinder world. At first, understandably, I was scared of everything, people included. Now, through the help of my foster mom, veterinarian extraordinaire Premlata Choudhary, I’ve found out that people can be loving and gentle, and when they are, I love them right back! I’m great with older children and teenagers, and getting better at meeting new people, as long as they are ok with going slow. I’m not sure about babies and young kids–they move so fast and their actions are hard to predict. Other dogs still make me a little nervous too, but I’m getting braver, and think I will enjoy having easy-going, playful dog friends soon. I’m not a fan of cats, but I’m trying to work up to it. You can see me practicing with a photo of a kitty. I think I’ll be on the smaller side of Indian dogs, around 30-35 pounds once I’m full grown.
I still have all the standard puppy things to learn–walking on a leash, house-training, and basic commands, etc–and I’d love to be your pupil! There is one thing that I’ve already got down, and that’s CUTE. It comes to me naturally! I dare you to not fall in love when you look through my photos and see my darling face and round pearl spots. I double-puppy dare you!
Desi (day-see) —or Indian—dogs live on the city and village streets of India. There are an estimated 260,000 street dogs just in the capital, New Delhi. Most dogs in India are Indian Native Dogs, sometimes called pariah dogs; these incredible animals are highly intelligent, good-looking, athletic, adaptable, and full of character–they are dogs as dogs have been for thousands of years! In urban areas the Desi dogs are often have European breeds in their recent ancestry too. In India, the dogs face extreme temperatures (damp, chilly winters and 115-degree summers), cars and other fast vehicles, disease, monsoons, and violence from people, as well as other street dogs. Some community dogs are sterilized, vaccinated, and fed by volunteers, while most street dogs experience indifferent cultural attitudes and survive on their own efforts and luck. Litters of puppies meet sad and inhumane ends. Most citizens do not know about dog sterilization and vaccination, and if they do, many cite religious beliefs against spaying/neutering. In the cities, there is major cultural interest in the supposed superiority of “purebreeds.” Unfortunately, purchased Labs, pugs, Dobermans, St. Bernards, boxers, and German shepherds are frequently abandoned as many families do not have the funds, space, and knowledge about responsible long-term dog ownership.
You can find our adoption application here. You must be approved for adoption prior to scheduling meet and greet.
HOME TOWN: New Delhi, India
RESCUERS: Isobel Grant and Premlata Choudhary
ESTIMATED AGE AND ADULT WEIGT: 4 months, 30-35 pounds
ARRIVAL DATE: October 13, 2017