It’s one thing to love animals, but it’s an entirely different thing to care for them and nurture them like they’re your own babies!

Meet Srishti Mohlah, who is balancing her studies, her passion for singing and her hardcore love for animals like a boss. She volunteers for organizations established for the sole benefit of animals such as ‘Help In Suffering’ and ‘Apollo College of Veterinary College.’ After that, she spends some solid 3-5 hours with the street dogs of her locality. She feeds them, gets them vaccinated and, of course, showers them with oodles of love.

JWB: How did this love for dogs come into being?

Srishti: This love is not limited to only dogs, but to ALL animals! But, because dogs are the most commonly found stray animals, I can serve them directly and diligently on a daily basis.

It all started when I was 10 years old and my parents bought Diana into my life. Since I am an only child, Diana was like a sibling to me. She was 6 years old when she passed away, leaving me traumatized. I still remember how gravely she had suffered in her last 2 months because of the deplorable state of veterinary services being provided in Jaipur. We went to six different doctors, who failed to diagnose Diana’s actual disease. By the time, we had found out that she was suffering from liver cancer, it was too late.  

 

 

JWB: And was it Diana’s death that led to this blinding passion towards animal welfare?

Srishti: Yes, I realized that I had to do something for those who cannot speak and cannot do for themselves. And that’s why, I am a vegetarian by choice too. Not because of my family, or my religion, but because animals have a right to live too.

I have met people who say they are “animal lovers”, but the next minute they go ahead and order a butter chicken. You are not an animal lover, in this case, you’re just a hypocrite!

 

 

JWB: Tell us more about your work with stray dogs!

Srishti: We have nearly 15 dogs in this locality, who I feed and get vaccinated regularly.

JWB: But being a student, how do you fund the cost of vaccinations?

Srishti: A couple of months ago, I volunteered at Help In Suffering (HIS) for about three weeks. So, whenever I need to get a stray dog vaccinated or rescued, I just give a call to the HIS authorities. They pick the dog up in their own ambulances, vaccinate it, and drop it back to the original location. That way the dogs stay disease-free and healthy.

 

 

JWB: What is the one thing related to dogs that you feel strongly about?

Srishti: Even in the dog world, there is a lot of racism in terms of dog breeds. Nobody wishes to provide a roof over a stray dog’s head, but would gladly pay thousands to take care of a pedigree dog breed. They fail to understand that all animals are the same and they even feel in the exact same way! Stray dogs need your care and love too.

Also, branded commercialized packaged food like ‘Pedigree’ are not good for your dog. It affects their immunity to a large extent and your dog will end up getting used to it. Ghar ka khaana is the way to go!

JWB: That is true, but the way stray dogs are handled by authorities in India is pathetic. There are no pounds or adoption shelters!

Srishti: No doubt, you’ll not find a ton of stray dogs roaming the streets in other countries. But there’s a reason behind that. Did you know, the first world countries get their stray dogs killed in order to keep their streets clean? There is a lot of illegal breeding and animal trafficking too.

 

 

JWB: I wish you hadn’t told me this though. Now, tell us how should we get stray dogs to trust us? I’m always afraid of getting bitten!

Srishti: Dogs have a 6th sense, through which they can deduce if a human has an intention of hurting them or loving them. Stray dogs are more scared of you than you are of them! They are thrashed, beaten and run over so often that they try to maintain a distance from humans.

So in order to gain their trust, firstly, human needs get comfortable around them as well, instead of getting scared. They can sense fear.

Secondly, get your hand real close to the dog so that he gets a chance to sniff you first. They need to sniff everything!

And thirdly, be warm towards them and feed them regularly. Slowly and steadily, they would start trusting you. But remember, never put your hand over their head! Let them get to know you first.

 

 

JWB: Let’s talk a little about your work at Help In Suffering.

Srishti: Help In Suffering is the most genuine animal welfare organization in Jaipur. Before I started volunteering at HIS, I had to get a couple of injections. And there, I wasn’t just working with dogs but with monkeys, pigs, vultures, and what not. You can make documentaries, nurse the animals, feed them, take care of their hygiene and/or help make the food. I used to work there for 4 hours, and it was a surreal experience. I plan to volunteer again for a longer period of time.

 

 

JWB: On that note, what are your other future plans regarding animals welfare?

Srishti: As of now, I plan to organize campaigns in association with Help In Suffering in order to promote animal adoption and spread awareness regarding other aspects of welfare. I wish to get associated with the Blue Cross Society as well.

 

 

JWB: Lastly, are there any other thoughts, advice or musing that you would like to leave our readers with?

Srishti: When a family loses a dog, it’s like losing a family member. There are times when a family swears that would refrain from keeping a dog again after they’ve lost one, which is wrong on so many levels. Stopping yourself from adopting or nursing someone who deserves to be taken care of is simply injustice.  

And secondly, all dog owners need to get their dog registered with the Nagar Nigam. You will get a license or a permit of some sort, without which the government has the authority to take your dog away under certain conditions.

Thirdly, when I started feeding the stray dogs in my locality, everybody used to call me a “weirdo”. But now, I see a lot of them have started feeding and taking care of them too! So, don’t let anything deter you from following your passion.

 

 

Isn’t that so freaking inspirational? Taking care of animals is a selfless and noble deed. It is so rare to find someone these days, who isn’t motivated by money or personal gains, but rather by the well-being and happiness of those creatures who are incapable of standing up for themselves.

Kudos!