Manipur dog trainer Nongmeikapam Jotin has not only been training dogs but has been running a campaign for the last eighteen years to stop people of his home state from consuming dog meat.
He had been successful in establishing a strong bond of dogs with its owners.
Jotin had first started a campaign Hui Chaba Toklase (Let’s stop eating dogs and save them) way back in 2001.
As per reports, his reason behind his noble mission had been the death of his first dog Mera.
Jotin claimed that Mera had died as he had not given it a regular bath due to which it suffered from high fever and ultimately departed for its heavenly abode.
After Mera’s death, he brought another dog and named it Jone and together the duo had been changing the hearts of many dog meat eaters in the state over the years to stop pursuing this cruel practice and appreciate the loyalty of the man’s only true and best animal friend.
Jotin had been training various dogs in his dog training centre Jone Dog Care Centre.
He had been initially not much successful in his noble mission but did not give up and continued to spread his message through pamphlets and organizing dog shows.
However, his first turning point came when his dog Jone , a local dog breed of the state got the ‘best of the breed’ award at All Breed Dog Show Championship in Mapal Kangjeibung on February 14, 2004.
After this victory, the popularity of Jone increased and attracted many people towards Jotin’s dog shows in the state.
Jotin took Jone to various dog meat shops across the state and the dog performed many cute stunts such as saluting people, crawling and bowing at them that had made people to stop consuming dog meat and truly appreciate its loyalty and unconditional love.
Although Jone had passed away in 2014, its loving message had changed many people’s hearts and minds across the state who are now proud owners of healthy dogs and share a strong bond with it.
Jotin’s main mission now is to showcase the hidden talents of local dogs of Manipur.