Cruelty to compassion: Stray dog saved after 12-Hour rare rescue mission at Salem

In a harrowing 12-hour mission, a group of animal welfare volunteers saved a stray dog from a slow, painful death after discovering a rubber band tightly wound around its mouth. The coordinated efforts of a Salem-based volunteers, and the Blue Cross of India (BCI) team from Chennai underscore the power of compassion in the face of cruelty. Their relentless search, braving rain and exhaustion, ultimately brought relief to the suffering dog, sparking discussions on the animal’s future safety.
The story began when Sufiyan an animal welfare volunteer spotted the dog near AVR Circle, few days ago, noticing the swelling but not the rubber band cutting into its mouth.Later, he found the dog’s mouth bound tightly with a rubber band. Realizing the severity of the situation he consulted with Veena Gurubatham, a Salem based an animal welfare activist.
"This dog had its ear notched, so it would bolt at the sight of a butterfly net. We knew we had to get it right the first time, but we failed—twice. Realizing the dog was becoming more dehydrated with every passing second, we decided to wait at least a day before trying again. The risks were high—maggots could begin eating away at the skin, the swelling was worsening, and the rubber band was cutting deeper into its mouth.
In short, we had very little time before the dog would disappear into some hidden spot to die a slow, miserable death, said Veena."
With time running out, Veena reached out to the Blue Cross of India (BCI) in Chennai for help.
Responding swiftly, Mr. Dawn Williams and Mr.Prince from BCI set out for Salem on Friday, while Sufiyan resumed his search. Tracking the dog through Salem’s chaotic streets, Sufiyan lost sight of it in traffic, prompting further coordination with local residents. A breakthrough came when a group of transgenders reported seeing the dog but were unable to remove the rubber band. Despite heavy rain, the team persisted, and finally, at 1:40 a.m., they found the dog resting on a road median.
After tranquilizing the dog with tranqulizerr, the rubber band was removed ending its ordeal. The rescue serves as a poignant reminder of the lengths to which we can go to protect even the most vulnerable among us.
"The next challenge is deciding whether to find him a safe place or return him to where he was picked up," said Veena Gurubatham, reflecting on the rare act of concern and action for a stray dog in the same town where cruelty was displayed in its most bizarre and extreme form.