Diva - A story worth telling

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Diva : Aug 22 2010 - May 30 2025

Today would have been Diva's 15th birthday. We always called her “our first dog.” Even though both of us have had pets earlier, Diva felt like the first in so many ways. She taught us so much during her time with us.

Until then, we weren’t even familiar with the breed and had to do a bit of research to understand what made beagles special. Originally bred in the UK as hounds for hunting, they later became popular as family pets because of their docile nature and compact size. Beagles have noses that could outsmart the best security scanners — they can sniff out a scent from miles away! That’s why you’ll often see these floppy-eared detectives at airports, wagging their tails while catching smugglers of fruits, flowers, and sometimes even forbidden snacks. They make the perfect officers — friendly, small, and endlessly curious, turning every inspection into a game of “find the treat.”

They are full of energy—friendly, affectionate, and gentle. Their trusting eyes and forgiving hearts make them easy to handle — and that’s their biggest curse. While some beagles get to chase scents in fields and airports, many spend their days behind cold metal bars, never knowing a kind touch or a sunny walk. It’s heartbreaking to think that the same breed that fills homes with joy and laughter also bears silent suffering in the name of science. They are the most commonly used breed in laboratory experiments—a terrible price to pay for being such good dogs.

Even today, beagles are used in labs across the world, mainly to test the effects of toxins, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. Pups would be separated from their mothers, and put into solitary 3’x2’ cages from which they would not see other dogs, or even hear them if their vocal chords had been removed. They would be euthanised after they ceased to be useful, or to have their bodies examined for effects of chemicals or treatments. Every time we use a cosmetic, a shampoo, or even a new drug, countless souls like these are sacrificed. (Make cruelty free choices please)

In 2015, India passed a law requiring that test dogs must be rehabilitated either after the completion of a project or once they reach three years of age, whichever comes first. So every year, hundreds of beagles are released from labs across India. 

But the difficult truth is freedom isn’t easy for them. These dogs grow up in captivity. Sunlight, human touch, the smell of grass—these are all alien to them. Most have never been outdoors, never breathed fresh air, never felt earth under their paws. They arrive scared, frozen, and vulnerable. Rehabilitation is a slow process that requires patience, gentle socialization, and the strength to face many setbacks.

When we first read about this, our hearts broke, and we felt compelled to adopt one. The first time we came across news of beagles being released was in early 2013, soon after we got married. But we were in Kerala then, and with Ram already caring for seven dogs, adopting another that needs dedicated care wasn’t possible. It wasn’t until 2016, when we moved back to Bangalore and heard of the largest release of 156 beagles,soon after the change in law, that we decided to apply. The adoption process was meticulous and extremely stringent., and we were fortunate to be selected. On the adoption day, we arrived during their feeding time, and she was sitting in the middle of the kennel, quietly observing us-and in that moment, we knew she was ours. That’s how ID#2012 came into our lives. We named her DIVA.

June 2 2016 - Adoption Day

When she came home, she didn’t know how to interact with us or even with everyday things in the house. It was clear that lab beagles( or "freagles" as they are called) aren’t like “regular” dogs. They have to learn everything for the first time—what a house is, how to drink from a bowl, how to walk on a leash, how to climb stairs. Even space itself was intimidating after years spent in body-sized cages. During her early days, Diva would sit in one corner and shiver at every small movement in the house—even at her own reflections or shadows. Her tail was always tucked in , a pressure cooker whistle or even a loud sneeze would send her running to hide. She wouldn’t come near us or eat from our hands. Simply put, she didn’t know how to “be a dog.”

First day at home,still in her metal ID tag, sitting n shivering

Diva had spent six years in isolation—surrounded only by people in white coats. She had never seen a full human face, only masked ones. She had never felt a warm hand on her skin, only gloved touches.No one even gave her a name or called her lovingly.  She never made a sound, which made us believe her vocal cords had been removed. Those were truly heartbreaking times.

Thankfully, we had the support of a community called Beagle Brigade, consisting of adoptive families, counselors, and volunteers. They guided us with practical, no-nonsense caregiving advice—what to feed, how to secure the home, and how to manage the high flight risk in the first few months. We baby-proofed everything: netted the balconies, installed gates at the doors, and always kept a collar with an ID tag on her. For walks, only a martingale collar was safe. She would eat only Pedigree and curd and refused the home-cooked chicken and vegetables we made for her. It took a long time before she even touched homemade meals.

It felt like a huge win when she first ate a treat directly from my hand, or when she came to us for petting, or even the very first time she wagged her tail at the sight of us. I still remember the first time she abandoned her hiding spot and came to our room to sleep next to our bed. From then on, that became her spot—every morning when I woke up, she was my first “kani.” For years, that little space was hers alone, and now, seeing it empty feels unbearably strange.

But it wasn’t all wins—there were plenty of setbacks along the way. Take car rides, for instance. The very first time, she surprised us by taking it so sportively that we thought we were in the clear. But the next trip was a disaster—she drooled nonstop, her eyes wide with panic, until we actually considered abandoning the journey midway. It took us a while to realize what was wrong: the newspapers we had spread on the seat made a faint rustling sound that terrified her. Another time, in Coorg, we had booked a homestay set up like a Rajasthan-style tent.Something about it unsettled her—we never figured out what—but before we knew it, she had leapt off the 6-foot-high basement on which the tent was built. My heart stopped in that moment, but thankfully, she didn’t bolt, and we managed to secure her right away. There were many such moments—unexpected jolts of fear that gripped her—even after she had been with us for years. Each incident was a reminder of the shadows of her past, shadows that took time, patience, and love to gently soften.

Six months after adopting Diva, we brought home Hachi so that she could learn the ways of being a dog. And she did—slowly, by watching him, she began to trust us more, explore more, and even squeeze in for petting whenever he came to us.  

Diva and Hachi

Over time, she even started stealing his food and bedding, but Hachi, being the perfect gentleman, tolerated all her naughtiness. The two of them developed a quiet bond of understanding. 

Whenever we went out, both of them waited by the door, and the moment we returned she celebrated with her zoomies, her howl, and her frantic tail wagging, as if that moment was the highlight of her day. She would quietly slip under the table during family meals, not asking for food but simply wanting to be part of us. 

Even though we had challenges with car rides initially, she soon became a pro and joined us on all our trips. Once, she even modeled for the Scenic Munnar – IHCL SeleQtions Pawcations Room during  our stay there.  

A relaxed car ride

A modeling gig—paid entirely in kibbles ❤️

She showed us unconditional love with those soft, knowing eyes that seemed to read our moods. When life felt heavy, she brought calm just by being near, her steady breathing grounding us. She was our silent companion, our listener, our comforter—teaching us that love doesn’t always need words.

She had her own gentle wisdom too. When we rushed, she slowed us down with her stubborn little pauses on walks, as if telling us to notice the world around us. Back when we lived in a gated layout, where cars were parked along the lanes in front of each villa, she had this funny habit—she had to sniff every single tyre of every car, as though she was piecing together all their travel stories 🙂

By the time we moved to Kochi, she had slowed down even more, so we let her off-leash in the nearby ground. That became her little world—she loved exploring every plant, every bit of debris, and every vehicle parked there, a true adventurer on her own terms. 

After Hachi passed, she grew quieter and spent most of her time sleeping. When we brought home Alex to fill that void, she accepted him gracefully too.

Diva and Alex during evening walk

Diva had slowed down with age—in her walks, her vision, and her hearing—but never in her spirit or her love for food. We had done a full check-up for her in October '24, and everything came out clean, so we were confident she would be with us for a couple more years. Even thought of celebrating her 15th birthday with all her favorite goodies.  

 When she suddenly started throwing up one day, we thought it was just a food issue and took her to a local vet. They prescribed kidney medication based on some assumptions and never investigated further, even though we pleaded with them. Honestly, I’ve been deeply disappointed with veterinary services in Kerala; we’ve seen this pattern too many times—from Bebu to Amy to Hachi and many of our cats who might have lived longer had the correct cause been diagnosed and treated on time. 

In her happy mood the day before she threw up and in 10 days she vanished 😪

That’s why we took her to Bangalore, where she was admitted and was finally diagnosed with a growth in her stomach that prevented her from digesting any food. Because of her advanced age, they advised us to put her to sleep. But we couldn’t bear the thought of her slipping away in a hospital, scared. 

What stays with us the most is how, though frail, our girl seemed to hold on until we drove back to Kerala and reached home. It felt as though she was waiting for that one last night with us—her safe place. That night, she slept peacefully by our side, and the next afternoon she slipped away quietly, sparing us the pain of making an impossible decision. In her final act, she gave us the greatest gift of all: the comfort of knowing she left on her own terms, surrounded by the people who loved her most.

Adopting a lab beagle is one of the hardest things anyone can do—and also one of the most rewarding. Diva was living proof of that. She came to us as a frightened, silent dog, but grew into a loving, trusting soul who gave us more than we could ever give her.

PS: If you are interested to adopt a freagle, this is the place to apply :  Freagles of India

Hachi - The gentlest soul I have ever seen

I'm not exactly sure when my attraction to Golden Retrievers began, but at some point along the way, I decided that if I were to own a dog in the future, it would definitely be a Golden. Once, I even came across an ad for Golden Retriever puppies and reserved one, but I couldn't proceed with the purchase because my landlord vetoed the idea of me having a puppy when I was living alone. During my teenage years, I had a pet that was given to me as a gift. However, at that time, we had no idea how to properly raise a puppy, and she ended up being completely untrained.(The reason why you should never ever 'gift' a pet to anyone..) That was my only experience with a pet dog until then. Once I got married, Ram's family had 7 dogs, and he was also feeding many more on the streets. So when I told him about the Golden Retriever story, he said we would have one. Additionally, I felt more confident about having another pet because of his expertise.

However, once we moved to Bangalore, I saw news about lab-released beagles, which was the largest batch at that time. These poor creatures had been kept in solitary cages, subjected to daily drug testing. The release from the labs was a significant shock to their bodies and minds. When they emerged, they lacked confidence, were anxious, and knew nothing about the world outside the laboratory walls – soil, grass, stones, leaves, or sunlight were all foreign to them. Rehabilitation was a challenging process that involved gradually exposing them to the world, patient socialization, and dealing with frequent setbacks. We were so heartbroken listening to the story that we felt compelled to adopt one. Despite being with us for six months, Diva remained fearful and anxious. However, she seemed to improve when we took her back to our hometown and introduced her to our other pets. Seeing her struggle to adapt to human interaction and learn how to be a dog, we decided to adopt a second dog. By then, I was also aware of the issues within the breeding industry and had resolved to adopt from a shelter. When we approached the counselor and expressed our preference for Golden Retrievers, they were uncertain if a breed-specific adoption could be arranged. But, just a few weeks later, they informed us about Hachi, who had been abandoned by his previous owners. Hachi, around 3-4 years old at the time, immediately stole our hearts from the moment we first met him. Despite being abandoned, he exuded an undeniable warmth and trust.

Once he came home, we thought he might dominate Diva, but the total opposite happened. He was always the gentle one, even when Diva stole his food, bed, or snuck in while we petted him. It wasn't long before Diva started observing Hachi's behavior, and began trusting us. Hachi's gentle nature extended beyond the humans in our home. All cats and kittens seemed to instinctively trust him, finding comfort and playfulness in his presence. 

 

His ability to connect with others, regardless of species, showcased the depth of his empathy and compassion. A couple of months ago, we had a fully paralyzed dog named Amy, with very limited movements. Hachi, who suffered from arthritis, found it difficult to get up, especially in colder months, and usually required assistance. However, one day, when he seemed to have improved slightly, he got up on his own, walked up to Amy, and lay down next to her with his paws on hers, probably to comfort her.

Hachi was everyone's favorite, despite the competition from the many four-legged species we shared our home with. He had a fan following in the neighborhood we lived in; he was adored by groomers and veterinarians alike due to his friendly and obeying nature. Just as Hachi was everyone's favorite, everyone was his favorite too. We also felt he might have been searching for his original owner in all the people he met. It's often said that dogs become heartbroken when separated from their owners. Despite his love for people, he also made sure to give space to those who didn't like dogs or were scared of him due to his size. How he understood it instinctively was just amazing.

He loved car rides, which was a blessing for hodophiles like us. The moment he saw us packing, he would be all charged up and ready to go. We often wondered why someone would give up such a fine dog like Hachi, and we joked that the only reason might be his never-ending love for food.

But as life often unfolds, our time with Hachi was not infinite. He had various health issues which finally claimed his gentle soul, leaving a huge void in our hearts and home. He was with us for over 7 years, and it has been 3 weeks since he passed away, yet we still feel a profound sense of loss and sadness. Sometimes we wonder, while he was literally a dream pet one could ever have, were we the best family he could have gotten? Would it have been better for him to be in a family with just one dog so that he could receive all the attention? Did our move back to Kerala limit his options for receiving the best treatment? Did our elder care responsibilities limit the time and attention we could give him in his final years? However, we won't get any answers to these questions, and they will linger forever in our minds.

As we bid farewell to our beloved Hachi, we hold onto the legacy of his gentle spirit and unwavering love. Though he may no longer walk by our side, his presence will forever be felt in our hearts as we cherish every precious moment we had with him.

My Pets

When I listed down the things that bring a smile to my face, one of the toppers in the list were of-course my pets.The love, playfulness, laughter, snuggles - when you think about it,It is a unique thing to create a bond with other than one’s own species.

I used to have cats at home right from my childhood. It was always a random cat who chose to walk in and decided to stay. They would then move on to some greener pastures after sometime and so I never had a real "pet" until Sony came along.  Little did I know the evils of backyard breeding or the trauma and the immunity loss the pups suffer from being taken away from mother and litter-mates earlier than 2-4 months. I do feel sad about Sony these days but sometimes you learn some life lessons the hard way.  Only thing I am happy about her is that she was never tied and roamed around freely in the compound all her life.  I really understood and encountered 'pets' after coming to Ram's house as there were 7 dogs and some of them were rescues and abandoned ones and Ram also had this habit of feeding and treating the streeties  too. Each of them had their own characteristics,  personality traits and demands. Kuttu was the boss, Vicky the guard, Arjun the foodie, Bebo the runner, Kushboo the pet demander , Amy the timid bloomer and so on 🐶🐕

Once we moved to Bangalore, hearing about the lab rescued freagles , we adopted one and that's how Diva came into our lives. She was almost 6 years at that time and had spend all her life in a body sized solidarity cage in labs. These dogs were put in the cages when they were puppies without any stimuli, not even sunlight and many were with their vocal cords removed so that they don't make any noise. Until a change in law in India, these beagles would spend their whole life like this and euthanised once they are no longer useful. 

When she came to us she was terrified of everything and settled to a nook of our home and trembled. She didn't know how to adapt to a world outside of her cage - everything, from soil or grass or stairs or sunlight , was new to her. She didn't even know to eat anything other than pedigree and curd (even chicken she did not eat). She was under-confident, anxious , confused and her instinctive reaction was fear and the slightest sound or a sudden movement made her freeze. (3.5 years later even now she does that sometimes). It was to ease her around humans and to teach her "how to be a dog" that we adopted Hachi. He was abandoned by his previous owners and because I was fascinated by "Goldens" I approached the counsellor and may be because it is good for Diva, they chose us. 

Although we mostly think we are the ones saving them, it is debatable who has saved whom as it is immense learning living with them on a daily basis. Each of my pets have taught me a lot of things and have helped me put life into perspective.

Diva will tell you that however old you are , there is always a new beginning. She will also teach you to move on , move forward , no matter what life throws at you. Also to appreciate the simple things in life, and find joy in them, like stopping and smelling every single car tyre in the lane 😉

Hachi will tell you to  Live In the Now - do not worry about the future or the past and simply enjoy the present moment and celebrate every day. He is just happy to have food, water, shelter and some people around who loves him.  Oh yeah and the most important lesson "Know When You've Messed Up, Own it , Then Get Over It". When he gets caught red-handed for some guilty act - he would hang his head , lower the eye and refuse to look at us in the eye (I guess most pets do the same)  But two minutes later, he moves on and seems to forget that it ever happened.  How simpler life would be if we could all shake the negative emotions off so quickly right? So next time any challenge that comes your way - Face it, deal with it and then let it go 😍

An autobiography

My name is Sony and I am new to this area. If you are wondering who this is : I'm the guest editor of this blog. The owner of this blog seems to be too busy to give any attention to this bog (I don't think she is that busy - just plain laziness..grrr) Anyway today I decided to revive this space.. But I am in a confusion as to what to write. I haven't written anything ever in my life nor do I know any interesting issues to write about. So thought I'll jot down something about myself and the events that have occurred in my life. What say? So here I am, ready to tell you my story and will do the very best that I can.. Are you people ready to know about me?

I can't remember much during the early days of my life. I just know that I was born on july 4th 1996. My parents are of different origin but I guess Mom
and Dad didn't face much opposition from the family. Anyway when I was born I was like any other baby in this world - totally dependent on mom just like my siblings.. It was all fun - feeding , playing (means fighting with my siblings) and sleeping.. Initially it was more of feeds n sleep but gradually we opened our eyes and started exploring the world on our own..

Life was going on smoothly and one day we got a visitor. He was very friendly and played with us for sometime. While leaving he took me also in a cardboard box. It was my first travel experience and I was a little tensed, but managed it somehow. Our journey ended in a house and the cardboard box carrying me was taken to the car park. As soon as I popped my head out I saw an excited girl in a green top and white midi. hmm that was the first time I saw this girl and we fell in love that very moment.. Later I realized that I was a surprise B'day present for her..

Of course I missed my mom and siblings and cried a lot for the first 1-2 days. But this girl made sure I'm comfortable and soon I got adjusted to my new home. Of course I was very naughty like any other kid of my age. Don't get me wrong. Nothing that serious.. just small small things like hiding slippers, scratching the sofa (don't think they changed the sofa coz of me.I didn't make that much damage), chewing anything that fits into my mouth be it plastic , magazines , papers her text books or photo albums (How am I supposed to know it's very precious). Sometimes I get scoldings or beatings from her for these, but amma was always there for my rescue. She used to tell that all babies are like this and you need to be patient with them. Anyway I continued my pranks and I used to go and hide behind amma or under the Sofa whenever she gets angry..

My day used to start at 5.30 am when acchan opens the door for milk and newspaper. Then I go for a walk in the compound for my morning rituals. After that I used to comeback n sit with acchan. He wasn't very fond of me but used to bear me nevertheless( I'm too cute to resist u see). Acchan normally gives me breakfast and once I am full I'll be restless (read bored). Then I'll go n wake up that lazy girl (Why can't she wake up along with me and play with me. Otherwise I wouldn't have disturbed her na) But that itself was a task- licking her face , rolling her in the bed, climbing over her.. ho a herculean task indeed. Finally she gets fed up n will run to chase me. That's the start of our typical day. These playing and fighting will continue till night except the few hours when she's in the college..

I had fun with her friends too whenever they come home. Some of them were scared of me, but others were very friendly and used to play with me. Some of them used to come home only to meet me. She used to tell that I don't mind her whenever her friends come. Why should I? Anyway I'm seeing her all the time. So any new face is always welcome.. ;) Night I used to sleep in her room. Although I'm not supposed to sleep on the bed, once she falls asleep I do climb up. Why does she want the whole bed for herself?

Days were so peaceful those days. I was slowly changing to a fully grown adult - taller and heavier. Oh btw I forgot to tell you about my romantic interest. He was our next door neighbor. Same origin as me. But what to do? He was tied up by his family and we couldn't proceed. I tried breaking the barriers by walking over the compound wall. But even I was helpless beyond a certain limit and so that relationship faced a tragic end. But I would say this was not as painful as what I had to face in the latter years. I never knew my life would take a 180 degree turn like that...

The changes happened when the girl completed her studies and moved out. There was no one to play with me, no one to talk to me , no one to fight with me. I was very depressed and grew very ferocious out of my frustration. I even stopped eating for many days. Acchan and amma were not able to control me and they had to bring in an official trainer to keep me under control. That guy really tortured me and amma had to intervene and tell him not to come again. Of course by then I also came in terms with the situation. No other way out right? After that my living space was shifted from inside the house to outside the house :( I know we are meant to live outside and guard the house. But again the first few years of luxury had spoiled me so much. hmm all good times come to an end.. Anyway after that I have been a good guard and concentrated on taking care of the house..

Now I feel I am growing old and is in the last stages of my life. I have a growth in the stomach and have difficulty in walking.. To top that last few months were not so happy when acchan passed away. No one told me that but I could sense that. I was so sad and was crying for days. Since I couldn't eat also everyone thought even I would pass away that time itself. Then I realized that my duties have now increased and I should be even more responsible.. Life should move on..

That is all I have to say about myself. Now that you know me whenever you come near my house don't forget to come and say a 'wuf'. I am still fond of friendly new faces.. :)