Today, we have a story of Shikshaya who is an animal lover and along with her family has adopted ten dogs. She shares her experiences and why she feels so much connected with her dogs.

  • Given that you have so many dogs. Are you taking care of dogs alone or do you have someone to help?
  • I have to clear this out. I am not the one that should be credited, my mom is the one who invests her everyday life to make sure the dogs that have eaten well are healthy and safe. I just share the love that I have for dogs on my social media. Other than that, the entire credit goes to my mom. She is the one who works day and night for the dogs. Truly a Wonder Woman.
  • What was the inspiration behind it?
  •  I don’t think you need the inspiration to show love, compassion, and faith. It’s basic to provide care & love to those who need immediate help. It's simply empathy and emotional connection between two living kinds and a willingness to show love by serving them with care. 
  • Do you remember the first time you adopted a dog and what made you continue it? 
  • My Mom started adopting dogs and sheltering them. Later, I adopted a few and started taking care of them. My first adoption was with “Dora” (a grown white pup, lost/ abandoned) found around Boudha. I gave her the name “Dora Explora” because she was so into exploring places and looked very hopeful and curious. Coming to this day, she is my daughter, my heart, and a very spoiled kid of mine. I fall in love with her every day. She brightens my day, helps me to become cheerful, humble, and a better human every day. This is the reason why my mom and the rest of my family members completely support adoption and get encouragement to continue such aid of kindness. 
  • What kinds of dogs do you find yourself adopting? 
  • It’s not about the breed. It’s about love and we have adopted whichever needed help & care but yes, mostly we have adopted Tibetan Apso breed, Japanese Spitz, Cross of Local breed & boxer breed. 
  • Why do you find yourself so emotionally connected with dogs? 
  • Since childhood, my siblings & I were taught to love animals. We always had a dog at home when we were small kids. We saw our mom taking care of our pet like one of us and that engraved kindness and humbleness in our young minds. We learned what we saw, and today I am very grateful for being able to call such a beautiful human. My mom and I show utmost gratitude for teaching us how to create an emotional connection with another being.
  • Does it get overwhelming to handle them when you are not at home?
  • Well, we do have to hassle a little bit whenever the entire family has to go out. Otherwise, one person has to stay at home at any cost to make sure everything is okay and to see if the dogs are playing safely or not, if they have eaten their food or not, or just to see what they are up to, one has to stay back at home. So, it is just not me but my family who takes care of them.
  • How has the adoption of dogs changed your life?
  • This is a beautiful question. I am very thankful to the Universe for blessing me with dogs. They have brought so much transition into my life. They have taught me how to be a caring person, have helped me to be vulnerable and emotionally open and yet so strong in any situation. They have brought joy, warmness, playfulness, a motherly instinct in my nature. I already feel like a mother, especially because of my dog “Dora”. She is the best daughter in the world. I love her and the rest of the others so much. They are the origin of positivity, love, and harmony in my family.
  • In your opinion, what makes dogs special? 
  • They say dogs are man’s best friend but I say humans are dogs’ best friends. Dogs are angels, they give us unconditional love, loyalty, and happiness and we humans are not even close to what dog showers in our lives. So, they are truly special and we must protect them. 
  • Do you think adopting so many dogs will be sustainable, financially? 
  • If you want to adopt as many dogs as my family, solely depending on family income, then I have to say, save a lot of money because dog maintenance is costly. Otherwise, you can volunteer Animal rescuing teams if you wish to do something for dogs or just adopt one and encourage people to just adopt & feed stray dogs.
  • What are some of the favorite things to do with dogs?
  • There are so many favorite things I do with my dogs and one of them is to hug them. Dogs love hugging & cuddling. They feel utterly loved. Other things would be taking them out for a walk, belly rubs, playing with them, buying them clothes and their favorite treats and so many more.