BHUBANESWAR: Ariel , Kulfi and Seasar ‘interacted’ with each other over a video conference call on Saturday because the whole of Bhubaneswar is under complete lockdown. So, what’s the big deal about it since people are finding different ways to beat loneliness and boredom during this time? Well, Ariel, Snoopy, Kulfi and Seasar are all dogs and their owners decided to keep them entertained by engaging them in a video conference call. Seasar is a male Indian pariah; Snoopy a male Pug, while Ariel is a female Beagle and Kulfi, a female Labrador.
Three of the pets were with their owners in Bhubaneswar while Kulfi, who stays in the city, was in Dhenkanal. Sanya Singh, owner of Seasar, said during lockdown she and her friends would take her pets outside for five minutes every day so that they can relieve themselves but after complete shutdown was imposed on Friday night, they decided to stay indoors. Though the four dogs do not meet regularly, they all visit each other’s houses occasionally, she added.
The pet-owners made the call after 12.30 pm and it turned out to be a strenuous yet fun task for them to adjust the dogs in their mobile displays. “We are not sure whether they saw each other but they all started barking and waging their tails when we made the call. Every one of us was talking to our respective pets and all of them are familiar with our voices. So we think they heard and recognized us,” said Singh. In fact, Speak For Animals (SFA), a voluntary organisation, had been asking people to share pictures and videos of funny acts of their pets on its Facebook page. SFA’s chairperson Kusal Biswas said they received the screenshot of a WhatsApp video conference call made to entertain the four dogs.
“The pet-owners made the video conference call as all the dogs are known to each other,” he added. “Watching pet animals every day is, by far, the best result of the lockdown and definitely one that leaves a smile on your face,” said SFA in its post. In fact, after the lockdown was enforced, people are spending more time with their pets and are witnessing all the funny things they do which they could not because of their busy lives, Singh said.