Face –to-Face
...with Dr. Ravi Dutt Mishra
November 25, 2020
Dr. Ravi Dutt Mishra is a Senior Veterinary Officer at the Department of Animal Husbandry, Ajmer. He’s a person of great dedication and love to voiceless creatures. His vocation towards his patients is quite visible in the way a single touch from him calms them down. The gentle manner in which he reaches out to them not only reassures them but also the pet’s parent.
Elvira: It’s been ten years that I’ve known you Doctor. Though I’ve visited you occasionally I have seen you taking care of and treating these voiceless beings with so much of love. This is definitely not a profession. What inspired you to take up this vocation?
Dr. Mishra: (soft smile) Well… let me tell you Elvira… When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal, I see a living being, I see a friend, I see a soul and thus I preferred to be a Vet.
As far as I can remember down memory lane, I have found my fur buddies as an integral part of our family and they have always been treated and taken care of so well, just like our siblings. It’s a god gift that I can understand their expressions and read their eyes. They are always allowed everywhere in our house and in our lives. I find them far better companions than any human being. Their souls are pure and their love is unadulterated. They are the most giving, selfless beings on earth who love their humans more than they love themselves. Treating them, to free them of their pain and suffering, to look after them has always been my passion and I have never taken this as a profession or a medium to earn money. I’m perhaps the only Veterinarian who opted for this noble profession after completing two semesters of MBBS.
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Elvira: Wow! You completed two semesters of MBBS and then devoted yourself to the care of animals! That’s incredible! You just mentioned that you’ve practically grown up with your fur buddies. What are your earliest memories of being around animals? Please share one happy memory with us.
Dr. Mishra: (laughs) Ahh… As I mentioned earlier, I have found myself surrounded by my dogs since I actually opened my eyes. My parents, my brother and my sister were all so very fond of dogs. I recollect that at one time we had seventeen mongrel dogs in our house. All of them were rescued and saved from other animals, from the streets, from starvation and some were even orphans. There are two instances which actually fuelled my passion and encouraged me to be the caretaker of these furry angels for life.
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The first one I remember was even before I started practicing. (nostalgically) There was this one Doberman girl named ‘Rani’, rescued by me from Polyclinic Ajmer. She was brought for euthanasia because her owner could not get her treated for complete chronic fungal alopecia and malassezia dermatitis. I consulted so many manuals and journals and started her treatment very intensively with just my basic knowledge, and surprisingly within three months she came back in perfect condition with the finest of coat and health. She lived with me for seven more years and filled me with immense confidence. She actually favoured me with her unfailing love.
And, the second instance that comes to my mind very vividly is… one of my most beautiful and loved Labrador girl ‘Daisy’. Unfortunately, she was struck and injured by an autistic boy, she injured her spine and became paraplegic. I was shocked but had to save her anyhow. (passionately) I used my intuition, commonsense, most common home remedies; and ‘desi’ medicines and procedures to bring her back to her feet. (smiling brightly) And, with six months of intensive care and physiotherapy she was quite well. Though she could not walk with a normal gait, but she lived to her full age and showered us with immense happiness and love in return.
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Elvira: How beautiful! Your rescue stories are so heartwarming, Doctor. They’ve brought tears of joy to me. You’re so fond of animals now tell us something about your fur babies at home. Do they cuddle with you and demand your attention? Do they have any particular quirks?
Dr. Mishra: Thank you Elvira! (smiles warmly and speaks excitedly) Oh yes! I have so many loving babies at home. One of them is a Labrador girl-Xena, then my favorite British Bulldog Boy-Matroo, my cutie pie - a Beagle girl-Muffin, my most energetic German Shepherd boy-Bullet and her mate a very sweet German Shepherd girl-Shadow. They give me so many reasons to smile and cheer me up even in the darkest of moments. I am their father, their playmate and a very close companion. I do cuddle and play with them in their room and in their beds for at least one hour without any limitations or inhibitions, as I used to do long back when I was a small kid. They are my life and the reason I keep smiling always. (smiles fondly) All of them come to greet me whenever I’m back home. You should see them compete with each other as to who will receive me first and who will get to lick me the most! (laughs warmly)
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Elvira: That’s so sweet (laughing) I can well imagine the scene. You just said you have a God gift of reading their eyes and expressions. This so reminds me of the book and film Doctor Dolittle! Talking about books, from a recent interaction with you I was pleasantly surprised to know that you’re an avid reader of all genres. Please tell us which is your favourite book and why?
Dr. Mishra: Ah…Doctor Dolittle! (laughs silently) Yes, I remember mentioning my love for reading to you! (eyes twinkle) See, I have been a regular book reader as a kid. I’ve read books from all genres since childhood. And, my car’s dashboard always has a book that I am currently going through. (leaning back in the chair) I love to read about nature and about animals…specially books penned down for children like the Harry Potter series and also Science Fiction. Recently, I came across a couple of very captivating novels written by Elvira Fernandez, that’s you (laughs) which I found to be very close to nature and animals and child fantasies. And… (thoughtfully) I would especially like to mention books by the renowned Psycho therapist, Dr Brian Weiss which talk about actual life and after life incidences.
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Elvira: Interesting! Thank you for the mention, Doctor. I’m overwhelmed! I’m very fond of Nature and animals and birds and magic and elves and fairies…(laughs). I’m very fond of animals especially cats. I have my fur babies- a dog and a cat. Since childhood my grandmother and parents instilled a love for animals. Till date I love feeding the strays. There are four stray dogs and one stray cat who visit us every day for a meal. Then the occasional cow puts in an appearance, that’s an experience in itself. It’s a joy feeding all of them and talking to them. But not everyone is sympathetic to these voiceless beings. As we draw to a close, I would request you to give a short message to all animal lovers and even those who tend to ill treat these wonderful creatures of God.
Dr. Mishra: Very true. (pensively) Hmm…every animal life is precious and must be respected. (folding his hands and leaning on the table) I would especially like to emphasize to people who keep dogs as their pets that Dogs are the most wonderful creations of GOD. He could not enjoy the company of ‘the Dog’, himself, so he blessed us humans with them, as his most trust worthy creation. Dogs can sense sadness in humans and often attempt to make their owners happy by initiating cuddling. If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would have outlived us all. A dog trusts you with his life and soul and you are his whole world. Never break his trust, as he never breaks yours. He’s your friend, your partner, your defender and you are his life, his love, his leader. He will always be all yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart and you owe it to him to be worthy enough of such deep devotion.
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Elvira: How beautifully expressed! That’s truly profound! Thank you so much Doctor. This has been such an interesting interaction with you. Thank you once again.
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