Pune: The release of water from Khadakwasla dam on Saturday led to incidents of flooding across the city, prompting widespread evacuation and rescue efforts by the authorities and volunteers. Amidst all the chaos, a lone stray dog perched precariously on a rock in the swirling waters near the dam caught the attention of passersby. The citizens concerned took to social media, sharing images of the stranded dog and asking for help to rescue her.
While fire officials said they were too busy with evacuations of humans in flood-prone areas to spare time here, police personnel at the location said they had no equipment to carry out the rescue safely. Finally, around 7pm, animal welfare activists , including Padmini Stump, Shabaaz Khan, and Prakash Kolte, rushed to the spot with other compassionate volunteers. The dog, visibly distressed, clung to a shrinking island of rock as the water released from the dam raged around it.
Working quickly and carefully, the rescuers secured a rope; with a combination of skill and courage, they managed to ferry the terrified animal to safety. Rescuer Stump, founder of Mission Possible Foundation on Shankarsheth Road, told TOI, "It had been raining the whole day and we knew we had to rescue the dog before it got dark. Six of my staff members and I rushed to the spot through terrible traffic on Sinhagad Road to get her out before she was washed away.
One of the volunteers, who said he is a very good swimmer, gauged the situation and decided to go down by himself." Kolte (52), who entered the dangerous waters and brought the dog to safety, said he learnt to swim in local ponds and waterbodies during his childhood in Khedgaon. "People said the dog was stuck on the rock for over 10 hours.
She probably fell off the bridge and couldn't find a way out. On the way to the location, we stopped at a local hardware store to buy rope to fasten around my waist and hand before going down from the bridge," he narrated. "As I walked through the water to the dog, she came towards me as if she knew I was there to rescue her.
I secured a rope around her waist and threw her over my shoulders, but as I was walking back, the siren went off and the water pressure increased. It was very difficult to tread through the fast-flowing water," said Kolte, a gaurakshak currently based in Ambegaon Budruk. Khan, another volunteer involved in this rescue, had the presence of mind to bring a 50-ft metal chain with him, which helped the rescuer get down and back up on the bridge.
"It was only through teamwork that we could save the dog," Khan told TOI. Stump added, "After the rescue, we brought her back to the shelter as she had hypothermia after being exposed to the cold wind and water for a long time. With proper rest, she has bounced back quickly and started eating food, which is a good sign of recovery.
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