AHMEDABAD: For Dalpat Thakkar, 75, life meant taking care of 60-odd stray dogs in Navrangpura area of Ahmedabad. His day began on a street side. He would wake up to go check on each of his kids and make sure they are fine and well fed – come what may! When Dalpat passed away on Saturday due to illness, his 60 canine children felt suddenly orphaned.“They refused to eat or touch food for at least two days. A few of them have still not eaten anything, while some others ate very little. Dalpat kaka was very attached to all of them,” said Himanshu Shah, a city-based insurance professional who has been voluntarily helping the canine godfather for the past few years, speaking to TOI on Monday.“He was very caring. He never married, because he was not sure if his life-partner would understand his attachment to the dogs. If he realised a dog was expecting, he used to take extra care of her and her pups as they were born. I remember there was a blind dog and she couldn’t eat properly. Dalpat kaka used to hold the bowl of food for her, till she was done eating. Unfortunately, the blind dog passed away just about a couple of months ago,” said Shah.As the age-old proverb goes – where there’s a will, there’s a way; life found a way for Dalpat. Irrespective of whether he had a meal or not, he made sure his dogs were properly fed every day. Eventually, as people in the neighbourhood marked his dedication to the canines, they started helping Dalpat with food and other supplies. Some were even kind enough to help him out.“I’ve been staying here for the past two years, since I got married. When I found out about his work, I began to bring Dalpat kaka his lunch and dinner. Now when he is not around, I’ve been leaving biscuits and milk for the dogs,” said Hiral Mehta, a resident of Navrangpura. Like Mehta and Shah, there are at least 25 volunteers who used to help the old man take care of his dogs, and after his demise they have taken it upon themselves, to ensure Dalpat’s 60 children are well taken care of. “I’m determined that till I live, I will take care of these dogs,” said Shah.