Couple to shut down factory after loss of pet

It was a 12-year relationship that they treasured, but on Thursday morning it came to an abrupt end. The heartbreak that the death of a beloved pet causes, is now adding to the stress of a Borivli couple that are now on the brink of depression, as their much-adored Labrador retriever, Stormy, passed away on April 19.

Unbearable: The bereaved owners lit lamps and played traditional bhajans, and invited residents from the building to pay respects to the Lab. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The Lab who was suffering from Osteoporosis, was also diagnosed with a heart ailment. Its owners, KVR Unni (70) and his wife Lilly (63), had barely overcome the loss of their other two dogs Thunder and Lightning who had died a few years ago, when tragedy struck for the third time. Unable to bear the loss of their dear ones, they are now in the process of shutting down their factory named after the dogs' initials: TSL Pvt Ltd or Therapeutics and Sound Living.

"We have already lost our pet Thunder (Cocker Spaniel breed) in 2008, and Lighting (Rottweiler-German breed) who expired in 2010 due to cancer. The loss of Stormy is just unbearable," said Unni, "We can still sense the presence of Stormy in our home. I have being crying uncontrollably for three days," he said.

MiD DAY had earlier reported (‘Praying for Stormy', April 13) about the couple's attempt to leave no stone unturned after Stormy had taken ill. It had mentioned the owners' plans to try stem cell treatment for their ailing Stormy, and that they had even started dialogue with a Delhi based expert. Unni added that a day before the demise of Stormy, they had taken him to office, but he was not feeling good and they had to return home by afternoon. "He looked tired. At night, he lay down in our room as usual, and the air-conditioning was on for him, but he wouldn't sleep. In the morning, we gave him his favourite dish - fish crushed rice, but he wouldn't touch it. Around 8.45 am, he closed his eyes, we thought he might be sleeping, but he never woke up after that," said Unni.

"We kept his body at home for residents of the building and people who knew Stormy to pay their last respects. Lamps were lit, and devotional bhajans were played. The office staff were given official leave, and they too came to condole the demise of Stormy," said Unni.u00a0Unni and his wife plan to immerse the ashes at Trimbakeshwar, Nashik.

"When Thunder and Lighting died, we had lied to the pandit, and told them the ashes were of our child, as the priests will not agree to perform rituals for a dog. We will conduct the last rituals for Stormy as per vedic procedures," said Unni. Unni also desires to construct a monument as a mark of remembrance of his dearly departed pets, or start a charitable organisation for the welfare of pets.u00a0