Question

Was Bruno a loving and playful pet? Why, then, did he have to be sent away?

Answer 1

Hint: The context of the above question is given in the chapter ‘The Bond of Love’ written by Kenneth Anderson. It’s based on the narrator's personal experience where he rescued an orphaned sloth bear and its aftermath.

Complete answer:
Bruno is the sloth bear that the narrator had gifted to his wife. He was captured from the sugarcane fields where one of the narrator's friends had shot Bruno’s mother and orphaned him.

Yes, Bruno was a loving and playful pet. He drank and ate everything that was provided from porridge made from any ingredients, vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat (especially pork), curry and rice regardless of condiments and chillies, bread, eggs, chocolates, ice-cream, etc., to milk, tea, coffee, lime-juice, aerated water, buttermilk, beer etc. in liquids. He became very friendly with the narrator’s wife, Alsatian dogs and children of the tenants living in the bungalow. When he was young he would spend his time playing, running into the kitchen and sleeping in everyone’s bed.

One time, he ate poison which is used to kill rats. Another time, he drank a lot of old engine oil. Still, it did not harm his body. He grew up big, very sweet, mischievous and playful. He was named ‘Baba’ by the narrator's wife. He learnt to do a few tricks, too. At the command, ‘Baba, wrestle’, or ‘Baba, box,’ he would energetically tackle anyone who came forward for a free fight. At the command, ‘Baba, hold gun’ he used to point the stick at people. Also, he used to keep a stump of wood carefully concealed in his straw bed, considering it as his baby.

He had to be sent away because he was kept chained for most of the time. He was chained mainly for two reasons-
The protection of the children of the tenants
He was growing too big to be bred at home.

Therefore, it was decided to give him to the zoo at Mysore. And thus, he was sent away.

Note: The affection of Kenneth’s wife could not keep Bruno away for long. In a short span of time, he was brought back to the bungalow again where he got a new island for himself in the compound.