CHENNAI: I took a sabbatical from my corporate life and worked at an adoption center. After which I started on rescue and rehabilitation, and founded ‘Bengaluru Opts to Adopt’, India’s first comprehensive adoption drive. I also founded the ‘Circle of Life’, through which we collared community dogs in collaboration with ABC center Sarvodaya and Unikorn (Pet management mobile app). I am authorised by AWBI (Animal welfare board of India) as an HAWO (Honorary animal welfare officer). Everything that I do I do because of you Benjiimen and this article is dedicated to you.
Benjiimen Tanner taught me that it’s okay to not be perfect, that it is okay to let go and forgive. Benjiimen was born to a home breeder, separated from his mother and siblings within a couple of weeks and thrown into a rusted cage along with other puppies. I don’t know how I landed there but I remember feeling numb holding him, covered in flea and with a heavy infestation of ring worms and a high temperature. The first time I held him, he crawled up to my shoulder and slept there. We were two broken souls without a clue on where to start and what to do.
The first few months it was him teaching me to show love, to trust and to let go. After six months, it was my turn to earn his trust. I learnt to be compassionate again.
Every day I woke up to his wagging tail and everyday I come home to a hyper happy, five-year-old puppy. We have spent stormy nights just watching the rain and thunder but it was okay because Ben and me were right by each other’s side.
Tyra Tanner taught me trust, respecting space and a love for travelling. Just like many other stories, Tyra was given up by her parents. She happened to come to me a toy-like, aggressive dog, scared of loud voices. With Tyra, we learnt to learnt to read each other’s eye movements. I never had to raise my voice on her, instead I worked on my observation skills. I believe that every dog must be in touch with its wolf side. Tyra is a good traveller and we have travelled to Coorg, Chennai and Puducherry, many resorts and valleys. What I love about these trips is that we both smell freedom and taste the wild with an invisible link of trust.
They make my pack and that’s all I need to take on to this world.