KOZHIKODE: A dog is waiting outside Kerala’s Kannur district hospital mortuary. Nobody knows his name.
He’s been there nearly four months, much like the real-life Hachiko, an Akita celebrated in cinema as the world’s most loyal dog who waited at the station for over nine years — till the end of his life — because he didn’t know his constant companion had died.
The district hospital authorities have been unable to identify the tan and white dog’s owner but the canine’s constant, lonely vigil has led them to believe that he or she is likely to be a patient who had died at the hospital and was taken to the morgue.Not knowing is the hardest so he waits, quietly.
Hospital attendant Rajesh Kumar K was the first to notice the pet dog lying on the ramp leading to the mortuary nearly four months ago.
“We did not pay any attention to the dog the first day. But we took note when it was found staying there itself the following days as well. When we made enquiries, people told us that he had come to the hospital with a patient who had died at the hospital. But they were unable to identify the person,” said Rajesh. He said the dog refused to eat in the initial days but later started accepting biscuits and other food offered by people.
“The dog is usually found on the ramp through which bodies are taken to the mortuary. It cannot go beyond the mortuary gate. The bodies are taken out of the mortuary from the other entrance facing the road. So the dog might be remaining there in the hope that his master will return,” said Rajesh.
He added that though the dog often goes to the physiotherapy department building nearby, it returns to the mortuary at night.“Also, the dog doesn’t mingle with stray dogs in the area, and it is particular about its food,” he said.
Dr Maya Gopalakrishnan, who’s been providing home-cooked food to the dog ever since the hospital staff told her about him, said, “He eats egg and fish but isn’t fond of rice. We don’t know what the dog’s owners had been feeding him.”
Dr Maya has named him “Ramu”.
The doctor added that a woman from Kannur has approached the hospital to adopt the dog.
Hospital attendant Rajesh Kumar K said that the dog refused to eat in the initial days but later started accepting biscuits and other food offered by the people.
He’s been there nearly four months, much like the real-life Hachiko, an Akita celebrated in cinema as the world’s most loyal dog who waited at the station for over nine years — till the end of his life — because he didn’t know his constant companion had died.
The district hospital authorities have been unable to identify the tan and white dog’s owner but the canine’s constant, lonely vigil has led them to believe that he or she is likely to be a patient who had died at the hospital and was taken to the morgue.Not knowing is the hardest so he waits, quietly.
Hospital attendant Rajesh Kumar K was the first to notice the pet dog lying on the ramp leading to the mortuary nearly four months ago.
“We did not pay any attention to the dog the first day. But we took note when it was found staying there itself the following days as well. When we made enquiries, people told us that he had come to the hospital with a patient who had died at the hospital. But they were unable to identify the person,” said Rajesh. He said the dog refused to eat in the initial days but later started accepting biscuits and other food offered by people.
“The dog is usually found on the ramp through which bodies are taken to the mortuary. It cannot go beyond the mortuary gate. The bodies are taken out of the mortuary from the other entrance facing the road. So the dog might be remaining there in the hope that his master will return,” said Rajesh.
He added that though the dog often goes to the physiotherapy department building nearby, it returns to the mortuary at night.“Also, the dog doesn’t mingle with stray dogs in the area, and it is particular about its food,” he said.
Dr Maya Gopalakrishnan, who’s been providing home-cooked food to the dog ever since the hospital staff told her about him, said, “He eats egg and fish but isn’t fond of rice. We don’t know what the dog’s owners had been feeding him.”
Dr Maya has named him “Ramu”.
The doctor added that a woman from Kannur has approached the hospital to adopt the dog.
Hospital attendant Rajesh Kumar K said that the dog refused to eat in the initial days but later started accepting biscuits and other food offered by the people.