Jessica Jerusha, another Bangalorean who plays foster mother to scores of four legged children, attributes animal abuse and apathy towards animals to ignorance. She says, "I would not have known any better either if I had not gone as a young child to an animal shelter and learnt that dogs that are not adopted are often euthanised. That altered my world-view and my life. I have dedicated myself to animals and I have lost count of how many I have at my farm and at home. Each one has a story, a name and an identity. It is not easy to keep the house clean and manage other aspects of my life but my husband and daughter are big animal lovers and we all chip in. Sometimes, our day begins at 5 am and ends at 1 pm. What anyone has to say about our way of life doesn't affect me. This is my path."
She also started Jeru's Lovin Vacation Home For Pets, a boarding home that welcomes cats, dogs, bunnies, birds, guinea pigs,hamsters,fish. This initiative also partially funds her foster and rescue work. She says, "I do not take donations but welcome people to donate cat and dog food, even flour and rice."
What she wants more than anything else is for people to understand that the world we live is not just for ourselves. She pleads, "Let us please implement a compassionate Animal Birth Control (ABC) regimen on our streets instead of killing dogs enmasse. We share this planet with animals so let us live and let live. Please do not buy dogs from puppy mills even if you can afford imported breeds. Go to a shelter, adopt an animal. It will change your life."
To help her in her endeavours, mail her at jerushathomas15@gmail.com