Tom, the heartbroken mother dog from Pabna whose grief recently moved the nation, has adopted two new puppies after losing her entire litter of eight. The puppies were killed recently, leaving her in distress and physical pain.
Tom lives in Ishwardi Upazila Parishad premises in Pabna. The residents of the area said Tom stopped eating and drinking as she searched the office compound for her pups. Her milk-filled breasts began to swell, causing severe discomfort.
Following the advice of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Md Moniruzzaman, members of the social organisation ‘Ishwardian’ brought two puppies from another dog’s litter to comfort her. Shahriar Amit, a spokesperson for the group, and his friends carried out the process.
As soon as the puppies were placed beside Tom, they began to suckle. Tom immediately accepted them as her own. Government officials, employees and volunteers witnessed the moment.
“It was very painful to see Tom,” said Shahriar Amit. “She was crying in pain because her breasts were swollen. After the UNO sir advised, I brought two puppies from my pet dog and gave them to Tom so her maternal pain could ease.”
UNO Moniruzzaman said Tom had spent the entire day wandering around the office complex, searching for her children. “It felt very bad to watch. So, we thought of bringing two puppies from another dog. When the puppies were given to Tom, I saw relief in her eyes and face.”
Tom has since calmed down and begun caring for her two adopted pups. Locals said the scene has brought them joy after days of sadness on the premises.
The adoption followed a widely condemned incident in which Tom’s eight newborn puppies were killed and dumped in a pond inside the upazila parishad compound. Their bodies were found on Monday morning in a sack floating in the water.
An investigation led to the arrest of Nishi Rahman, 38, the wife of a Small Farmers Development Foundation official. She was detained on Tuesday night and produced before Pabna Amli Court–2 on Wednesday. Judge Tarikul Islam ordered her to jail under Section 7 of the Animal Welfare Act 2019.
The upazila administration also instructed Nishi’s husband to vacate their government quarters. The family moved out on Tuesday afternoon.
Locals said Tom had taken shelter for months in a corner of the UNO residence and gave birth to her litter about a week earlier. Her desperate search for the puppies on Monday led staff to discover the sack in the pond.
