CHENNAI: Soaked in blood, the puppy shivered in Geetha Narayanan’s hands. Precious time had been lost in arranging a vehicle to reach the pup to a nearby hospital from Saligramam. Being wise to the nearing end, he fixed his puppy dog gaze on Geetha. A whimper of a woof thanked her for the final moments of company. The shiver ceased.
That is in 1997. Several years later, Geetha can still feel his motionless paw resting on her hand. Her life changed that day. Dedicating herself to the welfare of animals, she has since established a dog shelter in Kundrathur, a pet hospital and the Voice of Animals Trust in Porur, Chennai.
“Initially, I rescued a few stray dogs and kept them at my house. With time, the number swelled and I had to set up a shelter on my one-acre land in Kundrathur. Now, there are around 90 canines in the shelter. Many of them are elderly, abandoned or disabled. God has given me an opportunity to serve these creatures,” she says while arranging food on trays.
Balancing the trays, Geetha walks to the yard. From far off itself, her furry friends break into a kerfuffle. Shower Geetha with love or first relish the food. Such a quandary they find themselves in. Wagging tails and making playful jumps, the dogs realise they have all the time in the world to do both. “We focus on Animal Birth Control (ABC) surgeries, and vaccinations to manage stray dog population, prevent rabies, and reduce human-canine conflict. We also aim to provide medical support to the animals. My unfortunate experiences with rescued dogs at pet clinics inspired me to start a non-profit hospital in May 2023,” Geetha recalls.
The Voice of Animals hospital is equipped with the latest medical devices, skilled doctors, paramedical staff, and rescue vehicles. “Many animal rescuers approach us for treating strays for which we charge minimal fees. In just one year, we have conducted over 1,000 surgeries for dogs. Trustees Sudip Sengupta and Vani Sengupta also provide financial support to keep the venture afloat,” her eyes gleamed.
Sharing her experience with the hospital, Selvina Cecilia, a city-based animal rescuer, said, “I have 22 dogs and 14 cats at home. The Voice of Animals Trust has been a pillar of strength for me. They provide medical treatment for my pets, including vaccinations and surgeries, free of charge.”
According to the hospital treasurer, Rangabashiyam Varadarajan, the low-cost facility aims to become a no-cost hospital in the future. The medical equipment were donated by Express Avenue chairperson Kavita Singhania.
Around 20 dogs can be treated at a time. They are also looking for new places to expand the operation with multi-specialty departments. Working for elderly and injured dogs, heart-rending moments befall Geetha all too often. But then, she feels a paw resting on her hand. A pat of love and a puppy dog gaze envelope her. From where? Heaven only knows.
(If interested in adopting dogs from the shelter, dial 6383656935)
(Edited by Alen Moni Mathews)
