Pawsitivity at its best

Editor of food and lifestyle magazine, Uppercrust, columnist, avid photographer and now dog-lover, Farzana Behram Contractor can now also add her brainchild, Pawsitive Peoples’ Awards, under her belt. Think of it as the mother of all canine awards. In a first-of-its-kind event, organised in Worli this Sunday, pet-parent and organiser, Farzana Behram Contractor, will honour all those who take their love for furry canines seriously. From non-governmental organisations and animal societies to even those who have mastered the art of grooming, 11 awards will be presented to dog-lovers in the presence of Chief Guest Amitabh Bachchan.

So where did such a concept turn into a fascination-bordering-mania for Contractor? All it takes is a minute of canine banter with Contractor and the tone is set: she cares for her dog as much as she would for her own offspring. While dealing with the demise of her husband, the suggestion of getting a pup in her household was pushed forth by more than one. An idea that she did not reject and that was life-altering to say the least, shares Contractor. “My world changed; when I cried, my dog was there to lick my tears away.” The emotion in her quivery voice is unmistakable.

An emotion that she feels needs to be shared across India, across communities, and across age groups. “In a country where we are assaulted by awards left right and centre, such a ceremony will create a precedent for many who still do not quite wrap their heads around the importance of animals and the need to respect them,” says Contractor.

From people tying fire crackers to dogs’ tails during Diwali or puppies being thrown in dumpsters to be eaten by maggots, the growing insensitivity towards animals is palpable. Contractor compares it to the times when street kids used to enjoy playing with dogs and who are now taking pleasure in gouging animals’ eyes out. “Animal cruelty has taken a surreal turn now,” she goes on. Add to that the rising robotic-genius-meets-nature-antagonising Gen-X and Contractor rests her case when it comes to explaining the need to go back to our natural roots.

Five years ago, Contractor began her tail-wagging crusade with Dog A’fair, a carnival for dogs at the Radio Club in Colaba. “Spread over two days, we saw over 1,400 dogs show up with their pet-parents. Woes, ideas, and potential solutions about dogs were shared and discussed,” elaborates Contractor. Two years later, she launched Dogs and more, a magazine where coddling pooches was the sole subject.

From putting together dog camps at her farmhouse to even devising studios for pets, the photography-enthusiast wants to turn her self-procured “dog-lunatic” title into a movement. One that could not garner more attention than with Amitabh Bachchan himself. “Mr Bachchan is known to be a dog-lover and he was prompt to accept the invitation for Sunday’s award ceremony,” shares Contractor. “With such a chief guest, I have no doubt the credibility of my event will know no bounds,” she finishes.

From dog-related gigs to awards being presented to pet parents to humoristic sketches on the much-talked-about dog obsession that pup-owners experience, Contractor has thought it all out for Sunday’s event. How is that for some fur-loving, typically-slobbery canine pawsitivity?