The saying goes that dog is man’s best friend. But Manjinder Bains is proving to be dogs' best friend after helping a lost pooch reunite with its owner for the second time this year.
The 32-year-old took in and cared for a Labrador he had spotted narrowly dodging traffic on a busy road and cowering under cars in January.
Now, the dad-to-be from Hayes, has helped a lost Shih Tzu he found while walking with his wife, Kanwal, in Southall Park on Tuesday (October 6), during his lunch break.
The director of finance at nearby Villiers High School saw the fiery dog barking at a bullmastiff and its owner, and was told the pure-breed had been there on its own for around 30 minutes.
Mr Bains said: “I sensed something was not right. The Shih Tzu was clearly very stressed, panting and tired. We had a quick look around the park for the owner, but there was no sign and we were concerned for it because other larger dogs were in the park off leash.
“It was a tiny little thing. I tried to build its trust and eventually it started to sniff my hand and cowered under me.
“It had a red collar and looked well groomed. A pupil from Villiers High was there so we asked for his tie which we used as a leash. I then gave the dog some water.”
They put the pet into their car and took him to Alcombe vets, in Osterley, and called the Ealing dog warden. They had him scanned, but just like the first dog he helped earlier in the year, the Shih Tzu was not microchipped.
He planned to leave the dog there for the dog warden to collect, but was told there may be problems with a warden collecting a dog lost in Ealing borough from Hounslow borough, so took it to the Alcmobe branch in Northfield Avenue, Ealing.
He said: “We asked the staff to contact all local vets and describe the dog just in case the owner called. He was put on a proper leash and we went our separate ways at 3pm. I left happy knowing we had done all we could for him.”
An hour later and back at Villiers High, he was told by school community police officer Katy Coopey that a man in Southall Broadway was handing out flyers for a missing Shih Tzu.
He invited the man to the school and said: “The owner had a business on the Broadway above the Cooperative and explained as they were unloading their car, the dog ran off and unfortunately his wife could not keep up with him. I personally have no idea but somehow that dog travelled the length of the Southall Broadway, crossed busy roads and made it to the park in one piece.
“The owner was very happy and thanked me. My wife received a call from Alcombe vets at 4.45pm and said owner and dog had been reunited.”
Earlier this year, Mr Bains helped a young Lab seen dodging cars on Coronation Road, in Hayes, and he drove to work. After searching nearby parks for its owner, and knocking on doors nearby, he took the pet home and gave it food and water.
He took it to a vets practice but was told it was not chipped, and was about to drive away to take the animal to Battersea Dogs Home when the receptionist ran out to say someone was calling to ask if a six-month-old Labrador had been handed in.
Well-wishers who read about his kind deeds later contacted him through the school to thank him for his kindness.
Mr Bains, himself a dog owner, said: “I’m so happy that on both occasions we found the owners and the dogs were unharmed. But it is so important to have them chipped.”
