Kankutta (chopped ears) probably has one of the most interesting stories, one that should go down in history books, one that needs to be known to all...a story of bravery, unconditional love and undying loyalty.

He was with us, in and out of the shelter, for the past five years. He has lived in all four shelter locations we have had. We have seen him grow from a puppy to a strapping, brilliant dog and this is our tribute to him.

Kankutta was named this unique name because he was found by his owner, an ACF team member, five years ago when he was a little three-month-old puppy. He was being held down by two young boys who chopped off his ears with a knife whilst he was conscious.

His howls of agony, his eyes filled with fear, his weak trembling body; the boys had also held his mouth shut so he couldn’t breathe.

His rescuer tried everything in her power to get the boys to stop and finally rescued him. Not being able to afford private veterinary care for him, she brought him to us when we had newly opened at our first premises. We immediately provided treatment and kept him for post-op care as she wanted him to be safe.

But Kankutta wasn’t having it... by some brilliant miracle that his mind was, he navigated his way through the chaotic streets of Karachi, all the way from Toll Plaza to back home which was in the opposite direction.

It took him five days but he made it home, and we were informed that he was safe and sound. His human was managing his post-op care and he refused to leave home.

This is loyalty. He just had to be near his rescuer. He never forgot who saved his life and would give his life for hers.

Since then, every time there was a poisoning or culling in this urban slum, his rescuer and her mother would bring him to us, no matter which area we were located in.

They would bring him in a rickshaw from where he would refuse to budge and we would really need to try to befriend him and make him comfortable. He became very friendly with some members of our staff, but would howl and cry in a confined space.

We would try everything to keep him entertained, from long walks to massages to toys, but he just wanted to go home. The fact that he could jump from an eight-foot wall and had moves like Spider-Man would baffle and amaze us every time. He was a true escape artist.

He managed to escape from small to large cages, to unhooking metal leashes to jumping and manoeuvring around benches and fans — all to get home. We were in love with his dynamic personality!

Also see: What happens when children recovering from drug addiction spend time at an animal shelter?

Kankutta was the epitome of a street dog. He loved the freedom and the excitement of being out on the road. He was also the most loving and loyal dog we have ever met. EVER. We just wish humans were as good as animals and had some of the amazing traits he had. However, that is seldom the case.

In the area he was killed, women and children are raped for keeping and caring for street animals, dogs are hung on telephone pole wires for people’s amusement, and the neighbourhood poisons and tortures animals for fun. It is not the authorities. It’s the neighbourhood itself.

Such a shame about what an arrogant species humans in fact are, thinking we are better than every other living being, which if actually true, makes us even more responsible for other beings — responsible for protecting them and giving them rights.

Instead, we do the worst thing ever... take away basic rights, and take away the sanctity of life just because we want to.

Read: Something beautiful is happening at the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation

So how can we call ourselves superior?

Kankutta was sent to us eight times. Each of these eight times, he outsmarted everyone and found his way home: sometimes it took him 10 days, and sometimes 20. It is just beyond remarkable as he had no idea where he was, but he still always managed to get home.

This time though, he wasn’t so lucky. We hadn’t seen him in a few months and were told things were calm in that area. But yesterday, all hell broke loose.

He and his buddies suffered from eating poisoned meat... their organs shut down slowly and painfully over the span of an hour and Kankutta took his final painful breaths.

All he knew his whole life was torture... the feeling that he should be eradicated from this world. From his ears being cut as a baby, to him being poisoned after only five years of life when he deserved so much more life ahead of him.

What was his crime? He just wanted to go home.

Women and children raped? Dogs killed in the most inhumane way possible? Where is our humanity? Where is our respect for all life?

Until five years ago, street animals did not even ever have a sanctuary of sorts to call home. No healthcare... no laws to protect these beautiful lives. Or people to tell their stories.

How can we decide which living being is better than another?

We will not be disclosing the area where this happened in this post due to security reasons.

But just imagine... there are Kankuttas everywhere. In every city. In every village. In every neighbourhood.

This is the beauty and tragedy of the life of the street dog in Pakistan. And the onus is on us to stop talking and start doing.

All photos by the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation team.