The Tata Group recently
re-opened Bombay House,
its global headquarters in
Mumbai, after the 94-year-old
building had undergone some
major renovations. The most
remarkable change to Bombay
House is that, according
to a press release, “a kennel
has been created for the canine
friends who have been
an integral part of the building
for decades.”
Through a Facebook post,
Save Our Strays, a Mumbai-
based NGO, shared a photo
of six dogs enjoying the kennel,
along with this message: “This is the area where the
street dogs living around the area can have a meal,
drink water, take shelter from the sun or rain, or just
chill out.”
It may seem strange to some people that Tata
Group is accommodating the dogs, but as a dog owner, I
totally understand it. There are many benefits to having
dogs around. Here are just a few:
1. Exercise: If you own a dog, you will probably have
to take the dog on walks—or even runs. This gives both
you and your dog some much-needed exercise. Even if
you don’t own any dogs, they may still inspire you to
exercise. Indeed, other people’s dogs have inspired me
to run many times, whether they’re just barking at me
or chasing me.
2. Love: Dogs give you unconditional love. They’re
considered “man’s best friend,” as I often have to remind
our female dog, Legacy, who instead considers
herself “woman’s best friend.” She loves my wife, Malathi,
partly because Malathi gives her far more attention
than I do. Every evening, Legacy looks out the window,
hoping to spot Malathi returning from work. When
Malathi finally opens the door, Legacy wags her tail
so vigorously that if I were an
engineer I’d win the Nobel
Prize by attaching an electric
generator to it.
3. Companionship: If you
have a dog at home, you are
never alone. It’s easy to take this
for granted when you live with
family or friends, but for people
living by themselves, especially
the elderly, dogs can bring
great comfort. Most dog owners
enjoy talking to their dogs and
appreciate the fact that dogs,
unlike children and other family
members, never talk back.
(They might respond in woofs
and yaps, but Google Translate
won’t help you.) Dogs are good
listeners. In fact, Legacy is a better
listener than my teenaged
daughters. I can talk to Legacy
for 10 minutes straight and not
once during our conversation
will she feel the need to check
her cellphone.
4. Therapy: If you happen to
spot someone having a long conversation with a dog,
please don’t think they’re crazy. Speaking to dogs and
being with them is a form of therapy for many people.
Dogs are ideal therapists because not only will they
listen to you attentively, it never occurs to them to send
you a bill.
5. Security: Whether you’re at home or walking
through a dark alley somewhere, having a dog with
you can make you feel more secure. Many people own
dogs because they bark at strangers and, in some cases,
will even bite people who enter a home. Legacy is quite
friendly, but when a stranger approaches our door, she
often barks, mostly to let them know that there’s a dog
around and if they come any further, they risk having
their backsides sniffed.
6. Attractiveness: It may seem surprising to you,
but studies show that having a dog makes you seem
more attractive to other people. Indeed, if you are a
single man hoping to meet single women, just borrow
someone’s dog and walk around with it. An attractive
woman will stop to pet the dog, and it will be the start
of a great relationship. Who knows, they may even
include you in it.
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? Please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]