A Day for ‘Man’s Best Friend'

Soumik Dutta | NT

Over the millennia, dogs became uniquely adapted to human behaviour, and the human-canine bond has been a topic of frequent study.

This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet of being man’s best friend. Humans often take for granted the faithfulness of a dog.

Mankind will always be in debt to these furry animals, and the least we can do is respect them and treat them well anywhere we see them.

The dog (Canisfamiliarisor Canis lupus familiarisin Latin) is a domesticated descendant of the wolf, also called the domestic dog.

It is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolves and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Dogs were the first species to be domesticated by the hunter gatherers more than 15,000 years back, and much before agriculture was developed.

History of the international dog day The day began to be observed in 2004, when family lifestyles expert and animal advocate, Colleen Paige proposed it.

The motive behind her proposal was to create awareness about the needs of dogs and draw people’s attention to the increasing number of dogs in shelters.

She wanted more people to come forward and adopt such dogs from the animal shelters and give them a new home, where they could enjoy human companionship.

She chose the date August 26, as it was the day her family adopted a dog named Sheltie. In 2013, the US state of New York adopted International Dog Day in its legislature and recognized it as a recognized holiday.

Since then, several other countries, governments, NGOs, and individuals have celebrated the day. The primary motive of the day is to highlight the increasing number of dogs that are in animal shelters, so that they can be adopted.

Moreover, there are many dogs that are ill-treated by breeders or abandoned by their owners. International dog day appeals to dog lovers to come forward and rescue such animals, show kindness, compassion and love to these adorable animals who emote everything through their expressive eyes.

God has not given them the power to speak, but that notwithstanding, they communicate eloquently to humans. One just needs to have the eye and the mind to understand them.

Also, the day is dedicated to paying tribute to dogs around the world that work selflessly for the safety of fellow humans, bringing them comfort and guarding home against intruders.

There are numerous dogs involved in security, crime detection and defence activities, working in close conjunction with drug-detection agencies, civil defence, and saving human lives.

There are also dogs, trained and deployed to assist disabled and blind people, working for law enforcement in their local communities. The day commemorates the efforts of such dogs.

Society has started to recognise the efforts made by dogs in saving human lives while keeping their own lives on the line. The world seems to be a wonderful place when there is love, happiness and a loyal presence that adores you and craves for your company.

There is nothing quite like a dog who ably fits this role, and never leaves you alone, especially in your darkest hours, and wins your heart every day with their adorable ways.

Dogs are especially important to the Indian Gorkha (Nepali) Hindu community. During day two of Tihar (Diwali), KukurTihar is celebrated by the community to acknowledge the role of dogs in human life and throughout history.

In the Rigveda, one of Hinduism’s most ancient texts, Samara the mother of dogs assists Indra, the ruler of heaven, in retrieving stolen cattle.Hindu tradition holds that a dog is the guardian and messenger of Yama, the lord and judge of the dead.

A dog is also said to guard the gates of the afterlife. At the close of the Mahabharata, the king of righteousness, Yudhishthira, refuses to enter heaven without his devoted dog.

The dog is revealed to represent the concept of dharma, the path of righteousness.