NEW DELHI: They picked up 'Luka', a
mixed breed dog, from the streets of Virginia in the United States but lost him
on the streets of New Delhi.
Unable to bear the pangs of missing
Luka, an American couple — Iftah and Martha Mashav — have announced
a reward of Rs 1 lakh for anyone who helps them trace the dog.
"We
adopted Luka last December from Virginia. He is a mixed breed and so he is not
worth much money. But he means the world to us and this is why we are offering
the huge amount to anyone who finds him," Martha, employed in the US embassy
here, said.
"We have barely slept since Diwali night when Luka went
missing. Every moment without Luka is painful. Some people may feel that the
offer of Rs 1 lakh for a dog is ridiculous but the fact remains that Luka is
like our son," she said.
It was on October 28 that Luka ran out of
their house in Malcha Marg in Chanakyapuri after a firecracker burst near him.
"We were sitting in the garden and a small band playing drums and
singing came. At one point, a loud firecracker nearby frightened Luka. He went
into a state of shock and wanted to get away and ran out of the gate as fast as
ever to try to escape," the couple said.
The couple, who had shifted
to Delhi only on August 29 this year, remembers that many people near their
residence know him as "Mr Luka".
"The autorickshaw drivers all knew
him and Luka loved riding in the rickshaws. The children of construction workers
were also friendly with him," Martha said.
Martha said they ran out
behind Luka but could not stop him.
"The autorickshaw drivers have
been so nice to us. They have taken us all around Chanakyapuri. Along with us
they yelled out Luka's name and we whistled so that he can run to us. Some
drivers even refused to take money from us," she said.
The couple
has also filed a complaint with police besides pasting photographs of Luka in
the locality asking people who have spotted him to either inform the American
embassy or call their phone number — 09810302769.
Martha and
her husband said they adopted Luka as they wanted to "help a street dog" rather
than pay for one.