CHENNAI: The day I chose to bring home Choko, my 5-year-old spaniel, a fat and unexpected tear rolled down my cheeks. She was 25 days old, brown and fat. From that moment I knew she would be my constant companion for the rest of my life. I was single then working in the corporate sector with hectic schedule almost seven days a week. I grew up in a small town, Guwahati, always surrounded by animals including five Spitzes. I lost early, when I was in school.
Away at work, I was always guilty of leaving her back home alone. Choko has always been my baby and I made it a point to pay a visit during lunch, skipping meals and travelling a distance of 20 km to and fro every day. Raising her was nothing I had imagined. There are moments of joy, sadness, laughter and frustration and sometimes all together. Every pet teaches you trust and companionship but Choko taught me to live in the present. My lifestyle changed and I took better care of my health, knowing I have a responsibility back home.
Choko loves outdoors and we became the best travel mates during holidays. We always enjoyed the little time we had with each other. Over time, responsibilities at work increased and I started to look for work-from-home options and that never worked out! Whenever I stayed back at home, she would sleep next to me and keep lifting her head to check if I was around. I was constantly worried that I may not have given her the perfect home.
In 2014, when she was 3, I finally decided to quit my work and start something of my own. That’s when we (my fiancée and I) started Ruff. This was a huge risk for me, financially, but it was worth it. Today I have the best job in the world, that of a dog groomer. Happiness is not having a big mansion or a fancy car, it about being with the people you love. Today I am the proud mother of six kids, all of them rescued and all with a story to tell. Each one is changing our lives!