The news of the recovery of a Golden Retriever puppy from BA Block in New Town has led to residents clamouring to adopt it. The pup, which was found without a guardian in the streets around 8pm on Sunday, was taken to the New Town police station.
With no claimant turning up yet, the pup has been taken home by one of the officers of the police station, according to police sources.
Meanwhile, a social media post searching for its owner gained traction in New Town-specific social media groups. “I have received 42 calls and messages of people who had seen the post with offers to adopt it,” said Samaresh Das, chairman of New Town Forum and News, a charitable trust working for social causes in New Town. “But the police will only give it to the legitimate owner, if he turns up.”
The police station is suited to keep the pup, if the officers so decide, as it has a kennel coming up on its premises. The kennel was inaugurated on January 20 by police commissioner Gaurav Sharma.
“We have a German Shepherd and a Labrador assigned to our commissionerate's dog squad which stay in Barrackpore. It is not practical to bring them over from such a distance whenever they are needed for investigative purposes. So we are building a kennel in New Town itself,” said a senior officer of the Bidhannagar commissionerate.
The kennel is supposed to house five dogs at its full capacity. “It is being slightly rebuilt to correct some structural issues. It should be ready to house the canine inmates within two weeks,” said the officer.
According to sources, Golden Retrievers are an ideal breed to be police dogs as they are trackers, have a great ability to take orders and have a calm temper. The puppy, by eye estimate, is about three months old, so is also suited agewise to be groomed for the role.
Asked if the puppy will be trained to join the squad if there are no legitimate claimants for it, the officer said it was premature to comment.
The police station, incidentally, also houses ornamental fish in a tank and a host of exotic birds — budgrerigars, cockateils and love birds — in two large cages beside the entrance.
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