When Raunak Jana returned from the World Cup in Russia five years ago, he was certain about three things — that he had to get a Siberian Husky; from Russia; and that his name had to be Zabi.
“The mascot of the World Cup that year was a wolf named Zabivaka and they had got lots of adorable Huskies to welcome tourists right from the airport to the football fields. I fell for them,” says Raunak.
So the next time his Russia-based friend came down, he flew in with a 50-day-old puppy. But the pup got sick when he reached Delhi. Enter Raunak's pilot friend, who nursed the dog for a couple of days and flew him to CCU in the comfort of the cockpit!
But if you thought Zabi's entry to the Jana family was adventurous, you have no idea how much more was in store.
Raunak runs a sports travel company and Zabi roams with him far and wide. “Once Zabi, a friend and I were driving in the Dooars when we had an accident. Our car fell into the Teesta,” Raunak shudders at the memory. “The water was icy, the night was dark and the current was so strong that I could barely stay afloat.” And that’s saying something as Raunak has been a state-level swimmer.
“Zabi saved our lives that night. My friend and I grabbed on to him and he swam across the treacherous Teesta pulling us. It was so dark we had no idea which way he swam but Zabi took us to shore,” says Raunak.
Once they crawled onto the bank, they were met by hostile monkeys and other wild animals. "Zabi stood before us like a lion. The rescue team reached in a while and once Zabi saw we were safe, he collapsed. He fell sick after that but he was a hero,” says Raunak, drawing the furry dog into a grateful embrace.
Later, Raunak learnt that 56 accidents had happened at that same spot and that no one had survived. So impressed was the police officer in charge of the case that the very next day he got himself a Golden Retriever and named him Zabi!
Zabi’s siblings back in Russia are sledgedogs (that explains his strength!) and if it wasn’t for the war in Ukraine, Raunak would have taken him over for a reunion. For now, Zabi will have to be content to see the northern lights. They’re going to Norway next year.
He may be a globe-trotter but he is quite a homebody too. He enjoys sukto, has misthi paan with Raunak’s grandmom and if his mom’s around will only eat if handfed by her. Zabi stays in air-conditioned rooms and gets ice baths two or three times a month. “These baths last 30 minutes but it takes two hours to vacuum dry him afterwards,” Raunak laughs. “After every bath he sheds 5kg in the form of fur. In fact, I’m thinking of making a pillow of it next time!”