It’s a dog’s life, they say. But a restaurateur in Nadia’s Krishnagar is trying to ensure that every stray dog has his day.

Restaurant owner Suman Sen has set up a donation box to collect funds for stray dogs in the area who are malnourished or diseased.

Sen, who owns the eatery near Krishnagar Judge’s Court Road, said the donation box, put up on August 18, was being looked after by him and three of his like-minded friends. Collections would be sent to local dog lovers’ organisations and individual social workers and vets, among others, working towards the betterment of stray dogs.

On what made him come up with the idea, Sen said that street dogs suffered from ageing and illnesses just as “our beloved pets do”.

But what’s more, street dogs who have to forage for food on roads and in markets, are prone to accidents as well as malnutrition, he said. During the lockdown, when roadside eateries are shut, strays can starve without the leftovers that happen to be their mainstay. “Unfortunately, most of the strays have no one to look after them,” he said.

“I have seen people walk past injured or maimed street dogs without a care. Many times, the dogs have died painful deaths from untreated skin conditions alone. It is my aim to eliminate these things to the extent possible, at least in my area,” Sen added.

But he added that many residents in his home town were dog lovers too. “I can vouch for the fact that the donation box, since it was set up on August 18, has met with overwhelming response from my restaurant’s patrons,” Sen said. “Even during the pandemic, the collection box gets Rs 1,500 or more every day.”

He said most people love stray dogs but don’t know how to help them or lack the time to do so. So, giving them an accessible avenue like a donation box was a good idea.

“People are always willing to help if you give them an avenue to do so,” said Sen, explaining that he had come up with the initiative after discussing it with like-minded friends.

“Here’s how it goes. You give us a small amount, whatever you can, whether you are a patron or not at my restaurant. We will collect the money and send the fund to organisations with the manpower and expertise to take care of stray dogs,” he said.

The restaurant has created and circulated many social media posts to popularise the donation box.

“We have created the posts for donors as well as for fund-seekers with credibility. We have formed a small team of customers, who are all dog lovers, and who will examine the need and hand over the required amount of money to the person or engage a dog lovers’ organisation to take care of medical needs,” said an employee of the restaurant.

A member of Prayas, a dog lovers’ organisation in Krishnagar, welcomed the initiative. “It is a great effort. If people come forward to donate for street dogs, many can be saved from untimely death,” he said.