With the monsoon rains back in full force, no more fun in the pool for the monkeys, so I have been making up new and interesting toys for all the pens. They soon get fed up with just a tire or log swing, so some added extras are needed to spark their interest and give them those hours of fun pulling it all to pieces again. Lengths of old hose pipe, sawn bamboo rings threaded on rope, balls that dangle from strips of old fabric, all add hours of entertainment to their day, but they take almost as long to construct as to destroy.
Snatch and his troop had a big fright one morning when a rat snake got into there pen, everyone heard the alarm call and went dashing to find the problem, a 6 foot snake. The monkeys know to stay clear and were horrified when we went in to catch it, as if we were stupid not to understand, keep away! It was released back in the garden as they are not venomous and keep down the rodents. Another giant snake arrived one evening from a local house, this time a big python that had somehow got indoors. Not having anything big enough to put it in, being much too big for a cat basket, I had to put it in the cat’s room, where they eat and sleep, in an empty cage. The cats were naturally terrified of it and all refused to go in the room at all, till I could get it released safely some 2 days later.
John with the majestic Golden Langur John has had a break away in Assam, on a mission rabies event. They are all mainly volunteers who have come to India to vaccinate over 50,000 dogs against rabies to cut down the thousands of deaths from rabies every year in the Indian population. Whilst staying in Assam, he was able to visit a nearby golden Langur reserve. Our Hannaman Langurs are stunningly elegant, but the rare and endangered golden Langur is even more beautiful.
Much to the amusement of the members of the group he was with, John was talking to the monkeys up in the tree’s, they are no longer that frightened of people, this group having been protected here for some time. John was chatting away to one young female who was listening intently, when to every ones surprise she came down the tree and took his outstretched hand and just held hands with him for some minutes! We always find it difficult to get the local staff to talk to the animals they are handling, whether cats, dogs or cows, yet the sound of a sympathetic human voice can make all the difference, as this event surely proves.
At the local market, where we have provided cages for dumped animals, an incident that still makes me both angry and depressed. Pedigree animals are the “must have” thing here now, as more people have money to spend and the T.V adverts and film stars are only shown with fancy pedigree dogs. Although pedigree puppies cost many months wages even for the few who are well off, it doesn’t off course mean they get good care. At the cages on my arrival were a group of people arguing and squabbling over a small dog which they had removed from the cage. I immediately took it from them of course, to find it was a small bitch pug. The reason she had been dumped was very clear as she had very bad mange,
Pug was in a really bad state on arrival!her feet and legs so red, sore and swollen she could barely walk and no fur left on her lower body at all, yet they had not even noticed her sorry state in their rush to get a free pedigree. Incidentally, also left in the cages, and totally ignored by the small crowd were a healthy, happy litter of three pretty local puppies. Once safely at the rescue centre for extensive and expensive treatment, she then became the only dog being offered a home! This is when quite cured naturally, and not one single offer to help pay for this treatment, let alone take it on. Because of the time consuming care she required to recover and the constant bombardment of offers of a home, I bought her here for the duration of her treatment. She was of course highly contagious to humans at the time of being dumped, and I can not help but hope that there is lots of itching now, amongst her last owners and her would be abductors.
Being a small pedigree she is not in the least “street smart” and now she is at last safe to mix with the other animals, seems to have no conception of what the monkeys would like to do to her! I am hoping when she is finally finished with her 2 injections, 1 lotion, 2 baths, tablets and supplements daily and has been spayed, we will be able to find her a home with someone who is offering just to give a good home to ANY rescued dog that is in need.
Bunty follows John everywhere another problem with pedigrees is that they are so often stolen that most are simply kept chained up at all times , she came with a permanently fixed, 3 foot chain around her neck. When homed she will need a well enclosed garden if she is to be safely loose.
Bunty, the little rescue dog from the cage is settling in well and follows John around like a shadow. She still doesn’t like women and unfortunately is now brave enough to yap shrilly at them, hopefully this stage will pass.
