HYDERABAD: When they got Atlas home, he was the only surviving member of his family. His mother and siblings had died, and he, too, was fighting for life. Four sisters brought him home and he is a healthy pup now, though his fur never came back.
Powravi (21), Bhargavi (19) Priya (23) and Shreya (19) started ‘Who Let The Paws Out’ six months ago when they saw stray dogs starving on the streets due to lockdown. As people kept themselves shut at home, stray animals lost their primary source of food.
The sisters also came across dogs which were attacked by bigger dogs and hit by cars. The animals needed medical attention, but there was no one to provide it. These youngsters took it upon themselves to feed the dogs in their colony, and that’s how ‘wholetthepawsout’ was born. They feed around 60 strays every day in four colonies.
Says Powravi, “We feed them egg rice and dog food. We do not have the support of any organisation, and we are paying for all expenses. We have also rescued puppies who needed urgent medical attention. One had broken his spine after it was attacked by older dogs, another had her shoulder dislocated. We consulted veterinary doctors and helped them get better.
They are also vaccinated against rabies and viruses. Two of them were adopted later.” The group has a page on Instagram and accepts donation. Their social media page is full of appeals to foster and buy medications for the animals. Even during the lockdown, the sisters made multiple visits to veterinary clinics to provide a better life to their four-legged friends.
“I study in Manipal University and came home during the lockdown. We sisters share a love for animals since childhood. We go out on a scooter and distribute the food among the strays. In future, we would like to feed dogs in more colonies if we can generate funds,” adds Powravi.