Hyderabad pup wins PETA's 'Cutest Indian Dog Alive' contest

Hyderabad, Sep 28: After hundreds of votes and careful deliberation by judges from the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, Rosco, whose guardian is Spandana Raj, beat out nine other finalists to win PETA's 5th annual 'Cutest Indian Dog Alive' contest.

The contest was created to show that the kindest thing a prospective guardian can do is to adopt an Indian dog from the streets or an animal shelter, PETA said in a statement.

The second-place winner of the contest is Nekti, whose guardian is Ananya Karmakar of Kolkata, while Petu, whose guardian is Minima Peres from Goa secured the third place.

"Rosco proves that adopting a dog from the streets or an animal shelter can fill your life with a joy and love that words can't express", says PETA CEO Poorva Joshipura.

"I found Rosco tied to a tea stall. [He] came home and has been with us for two years now. Rosco is a happy and loving dog," Spandana said. PETA urged prospective guardians to adopt an Indian community dog from the streets or an animal shelter, rather than buying puppies from pet shops.

Breeders and pet shops often keep animals in dismal conditions, and because pedigree dogs are bred for certain exaggerated physical traits, such as long ears and drooping backs, many of them suffer from health ailments, including breathing problems, cancer, heart disease, bleeding disorders, skeletal malformations, and eye problems, the statement said.

PTI