In a heartening turn of events, a newborn baby abandoned in the cold was found and protected by a pack of stray dogs in West Bengal, India. The infant was discovered in a railway workers' colony in Nadia district.

The baby, only hours old, was left outside a bathroom without any covering on a cold night. Residents of the colony were shocked to find the newborn surrounded by a group of stray dogs who are known to the community. Instead of posing a threat, the dogs had formed a protective circle around the child, seemingly guarding the infant from harm.

Sukla Mondal, a local resident, recalled the scene that morning, "The dogs were not aggressive. They looked… alert. As if they understood the child was fighting to live". Subhash Pal, another resident, mentioned hearing the baby's cries around dawn and the dogs standing guard. The dogs did not allow anyone to come near the baby throughout the night.

Mondal approached the group cautiously, whispering softly, and the dogs eventually allowed her to get close. She wrapped the baby in her dupatta, a shawl, and called neighbors for assistance. The infant was immediately taken to Maheshganj Hospital and then transferred to Krishnanagar Sadar Hospital for further care. Doctors reported that the baby had no injuries, and the blood found on the baby's head appeared to be from the delivery, suggesting the baby was abandoned shortly after birth.

The incident has been described as a miracle by the local community. Premnath, a local, expressed his astonishment, considering stray dogs can be vicious. Another local stated that the warmth from the dogs and their collective presence might have been what kept the newborn alive through the cold night.

Police have launched an investigation to find the parents of the child. The baby is currently under medical care and has been referred to the Child Line Project. This is not the first instance of stray dogs offering protection to abandoned newborns. In 2005, a stray dog in Kenya carried an abandoned baby to her litter of puppies. In Argentina, in 2018, a dog named Way protected an abandoned newborn by keeping him warm with her puppies during freezing temperatures. In 2021, in Chattisgarh, India, puppies helped keep a newborn baby girl warm overnight after she was found by a stray dog.

These incidents highlight the often-unrecognized capacity for compassion and protection in animals, even stray animals. The dogs in West Bengal, who are usually chased away, acted as sentries, ensuring the safety of the abandoned newborn throughout the night. The quick thinking and kindness of the local residents, along with the protective instincts of the stray dogs, saved the life of a vulnerable infant.