Nirmala Ramoo and her family were still grieving for their Dalmatian, Spotty, an SPCA alumnus, when a former neighbour asked if they were willing to foster a dog for two weeks.

They were told the dog was a stray and had been spotted running around aimlessly.

It had only been two months since they lost Spotty to a sudden illness. His cage was empty and their hearts were still aching. So they thought “why not?”

They drove over and brought Toby home. He was about a year old at the time. A mixed breed, Nirmala was sceptical at first about his temperament. Fierce with strangers but ever so gentle with them, it has now been five years and Toby is very much a loved member of the Ratnadurai household.

Today, Nirmala says she can’t imagine their home without him. Dog kibble may be Toby’s daily diet but they can’t help spoiling him with some of his favourites, especially “vadai”.

On weekend afternoons when everyone is home, Toby always alerts them with a whimper when the “Putumayam” man comes a-honking on his motorbike. Toby knows Nirmala’s husband, Ratna will drop whatever he’s doing to rush out and buy him a “vadai”.

Whether he is digging up the garden or running around the car with a shoe dangling from his mouth, or playing hide and seek when Ratna, his favourite master, tries to leash him for his walk, Toby has brought them such joy with his antics.

Nirmala agrees wholeheartedly with her son Jayshen, when he says, “A house without a dog is not a home”.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to [email protected]. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.