Locating Lily

Not many of us understand the value of a wet and sloppy kiss and the sound of a wagging tail banging against the door as you enter your home and that running around and pinning you down till you give them a kiss. Such was the impact created on me when I brought home Marley, the stray dog I had adopted from the streets. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. There has never been a day when I don’t miss her and her mischief.
I joined many groups on WhatsApp and Facebook seeking to protect animals who were beaten up by sadists or abandoned because their families could no longer take care of them. News of Lucky, the dog at Worli who was brutally beaten by a watchman just because the poor pooch took shelter from the rain, aroused the ire of many animal lovers, including me.
My biggest dream in life is to follow in the footsteps of Ratan Tata, a true icon and a dog lover. Just like him I wish to start a dog shelter for my "four-legged loves.”

On the group "Helping the Voiceless,” I read a message from two girls, Vrati Ahuja and Karishma Chitalia: "Due to the Diwali fire crackers my dog from Marine Lines has run away. She answers to her name Lily and is very friendly. If someone finds her, please get in touch on the number mentioned in the message.” Almost at the same time came another message on the group "Mumbai United For Strays” stating "This dog seems lost and is new here. If anyone is looking for the same please contact me as he’s roaming in the Worli slums.” Seeing the photos with the two messages I realized it was the same dog and I joined in the pursuit.
In my search for Lily I was guided by Marley. When I lost Marley (on September 2, 2019) I went into depression but was assisted by my best friend, Devanshi Motla who, also having lost her pet, convinced me that there are many other strays looking for a home and love.
Lily is a short, white and light golden colored dog with her left ear clipped. Animal activist Leena Chinnam who works in the vicinity saw a post that Lily was last seen at the Madras Slums in Worli. She began her search before I could get there. She learnt that a local newspaper vendor, Gangubai, had fed the dog some biscuits and water the previous night but the next morning Lily had left. I roamed the roads and by-lanes but Lily was nowhere in sight. Another dog lover, Aditee Mestri, who was travelling in a local train said she saw Lily loitering on platform number one at Lower Parel station. Ahuja and Chitalia rushed to the locale but could not spot Lily. While other dog lovers were contributing to the search, the girls received a call from some unknown person saying Lily had been admitted to the veterinary hospital in Parel. Seeing the motionless dog at the hospital, Ahuja was convinced it was Lily and informed the others on the group accordingly. We all began to console her. But the dog wasn’t Lily as the photo she had posted did not match those of Lily who was still roaming the streets of Lower Parel. I continued to keep my hopes alive.
After office when I went to look for Lily at the Lower Parel station I could see a group of children playing with a dog that resembled her. The children claimed it was their dog, Rani, but her leash appeared to be brand new. Not convinced, I interrogated the kids again. They claimed they had found her near their father’s shop in the lane which leads to the Phoenix mall. When I posted her photos on the group, Ahuja and Chitalia recognized Lily. But the boy’s father insisted it was his dog stating, "I have had this dog for years.” Another lady chipped in, "That’s not his dog by any chance.” The night prior her son had fed the canine some food because it looked lost.
I remained at the site till I was joined by Ahuja and the others in the group. When collectively confronted, the man confessed that it wasn’t his dog. While Ahuja was preparing to take Lily home the boys who had become attached to the dog began to cry. Lily’s mistress did the most selfless thing anyone could. Moved by their love, she entrusted Lily to them, promising to pay for all expenses, from food to the vet’s fees. Most of us have been told that angels have wings, but only some of us have learnt that they have paws. That is how my Marley helped me save Lily.