THANE: Pixie, a two-and-a-half year old Indian pariah dog who was found under a garbage bin in Thane, is now living a lavish life in an air conditioned room in the posh Pali hill area. The stray, who has three domestic helps who take care of her. All this was made possible because of a family that decided to adopt her and give her a roof to live under.Like Pixie, the lives of many Indian pariah dogs have changed after residents have decided to give them shelter and this trend is on the rise, claim experts."I was a dog lover since I was a kid and used to feed strays but I was never able to get any of them home. However, now that I am on my own I decided to adopt Pixie when she was a pup. I fell in love with Pixie and since then she has been living with us in Pali hill. She even has her own sofa to sit on when guests are around and has been living like a princess here," said Herumb Khot, Thane resident.Pet Owners and Animal Lovers (PAL), a non government organization (NGO) that has been conducting adoption camps in Thane, Mumbai and other cities has seen people coming in huge numbers to adopt strays and even abandoned dogs."There is a rise in the number of people taking strays home but still many prefer abandoned pedigree dogs as they feel they are better. But in reality, Indian dogs are better than pedigree ones and they are physically fitter, said experts.Experts also confirmed that the pariah dogs are sturdy and have a good immunity."The skin of Indian dogs and their overall digestive system is better than the pedigree dogs as they are used to our climate. When it comes to pedigree dogs they have gastrointestinal problems as they need specific type of food. Also, due to inactivity owing to apartment system in cities, these dogs become obese and face heart ailments," said Karishma Gupte, a veterinarian.NGOs claimed that before they give dogs out for adoption they go a thorough check regarding the background of the families.

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