Bitten, not beaten: Dog or leopard, the trusted rescuer for animals in distress

Noida: Ramesh Kumar Patle was on his way to work when he received an urgent call about a dog attacking people in Ghodi Bachheda. When he reached the locality, he found an abandoned German Shepherd suffering from rabies, frothing from the mouth and attacking every moving being in sight.
As the dog chased a child, Ramesh fearlessly threw himself on it.The dog's jaws locked onto Ramesh's right elbow and landed a brutal bite, leaving him confined to his home for weeks. He received rabies shots, battled high fever, and nursed a gushing wound. He was down, but not out. That is part of his work, Ramesh believes.
The 23-year-old never steps back when it comes to rescuing animals in distress. Even the forest department takes his help when there is a leopard lurking around.
With his quick reflexes and fearlessness, Ramesh is considered one of the most skilled rescuers in Noida.
Originally from a tribal family in Chhattisgarh, Ramesh worked with his father and brother at a construction site. Growing up close to nature and animals, he developed a bond with them, which manifested itself in his decision to join SMART Sanctuary in 2018 — a shelter home for animals in Greater Noida.
Ramesh insists he shares a special connection with animals.
"I am used to encountering snakes from a young age because of the environment in which I grew up. This has helped me overcome my fear of animals. Rescuing animals is more than just a profession, it is something I actively seek and enjoy doing. Through my experiences, I have developed a connection with them, and I feel we have a mutual understanding of one another. Unlike humans, who rely on verbal communication, interacting with animals requires a different approach — one must learn to comprehend their unique ways of expressing themselves," says Ramesh.
Kaveri Rana Bhardwaj, owner of SMART Sanctuary, vividly remembers her first encounter with Ramesh.
"I met him when he was 13 years old. I had just moved to Greater Noida and my 5-year-old pet ventured out of our home unaccompanied. We couldn't find him for 18 days. I put up ‘missing' posters everywhere and declared a reward of Rs 5,000 for anyone who could bring my pet back to safety. Ramesh was able to find him, but he didn't accept the reward," she says.
Kaveri also discovered later that the collars she spotted on most stray dogs in Greater Noida when she moved there were procured by Ramesh.
In another rescue in Aug 2020, Ramesh pulled out a distressed dog from an empty 25ft-deep reservoir in Saini Sunpura village. The dog had been stranded there for seven days. "It was a dark and dry reservoir, not in use at the time. I went inside using a ladder and spotted the dog. It had turned skeletal," says Ramesh.
Among other animals that Ramesh has rescued are thousands of snakes, both venomous and non-venomous, numerous dogs, tortoises, monkeys, and langurs. Recently, a pet shop was also raided by forest officials after Ramesh gave them a tip-off about illegal sale of protected reptiles there.