KOCHI: While third-year student Denoy Abraham rode from Alappuzha to Ernakulam to find a cuddlebug for life, his friend Raashid P T couldn’t help stop fawning over his new ‘pawsome’ mate. Bree Mcilroy, the founder of Loving Earth Yoga Cafe in Fort Kochi, added another kitten to her existing clowder. Setting real #RelationshipGoals, animal welfare organisation Oneness Foundation organised an adoption drive on Sunday at Rajendra Maidan, which saw an unprecedented number of people turning up to adopt their ‘fur-ever’ loves, timely for Valentine’s Day.
The drive saw 70 animals — 55 puppies and 15 kittens — adopted.
“An adoption drive was organised last year too, around the same time. Considering Covid, we had decided to bring a fewer number of animals, but the reception was wonderful. We’ve also had foster parents bringing in kittens and puppies for the drive. Animals under two months of age were rejected as they ought to remain with their mothers,” said Ashwini Prem of Oneness Foundation.
Ashwini stressed that the drive strived to increase adoption of indie breeds that are often overlooked. “There are many misconceptions regarding indie breeds as they’re instinctively associated with street dogs who’re mostly frail and scavenge for food,” she added.
While first-time pet parents dominated the crowd, several were eager to adopt ‘just one more kitten’. Husband-wife duo Jomon Antony and Jincy Antony adopted a puppy and kitten, while their four dogs and two cats at home eagerly awaited new friends. Meanwhile, Geevarghese adopted a puppy in remembrance of his dog that passed away.
Niranjana V, a final-year student, sought friendship in the company of an active puppy. “Though I was always interested in adoption, it was never the right time. Now I have a puppy to keep my solitariness at bay,” she said.
Organisers attributed the high turnout to lonesomeness during the pandemic, which made several crave for a pet. “The number of adoptions soared during the lockdown. The period was also an eye-opener for those who chain or cage their pets as they were cooped up within four walls,” said Shibin Mathew of Oneness Foundation.
Anything is paw-sible
Not all could afford to display their affection through adoption. Seven-year-olds Aarav and Mihirr, and their eight-year-old sister Purvi — were distraught at the ‘no pets’ regulation at their apartment. “But they were insistent to make a difference for the strays. The children figured out that people would want to buy cakes, considering Valentine’s Day, so they baked around 35 small cakes and eight big muffins on February 13 which were instantly sold out. The money collected was donated towards the drive. This way, the change was all theirs,” said Anitha Gulechha, a Panampilly Nagar resident.