Besides busting crime rings, catching thieves and maintaining law and order, Senior Police Inspector Sudhir Kudalkar is on a special mission – a mission to make Mumbai safe for stray animals. Always an animal lover, the plight of strays during the pandemic compelled the 50-year-old to take action. With people unable to step out, there was no one to feed the animals. At the same time, there was an alarming increase in the incidents of animal cruelty, and people abandoned their pets on the roads.  Animal lovers started contacting Kudalkar, seeking permission to step out to feed the strays ..read more

Ever planned a vacation enthusiastically only to realise your beloved pooch can’t accompany you because the place isn’t pet friendly? That ends here. You can now undertake every touristy escapade you’re looking for whilst having your baby experience it all. We’ve put together a list of homestays across the country which not only go the extra mile to welcome pets but make the trip fun for them! What are you waiting for? Go ahead and book!  1. Casa Cottage, Bengaluru  Casa Cottage is a pet-friendly homestay in Bengaluru that is immersed in nature and greenery, Picture source: Casa Cott ..read more

For many of us living in concrete jungles, waking up to the twitter of sparrows and a gust of cool breeze seems like a distant dream.  But this is not the case for Pune’s Chandan Nagar resident Smita Pasalkar.  Many would call her “lucky” for being able to start her day with a cup of chai and a balcony abuzz with parrots, sunbirds, sparrows and even squirrels. Smita Pasalkar in her balcony, Picture credits: Smita Pasalkar Neighbours who have lived in the same society for 20 years say this is the first time they’re witnessing such a sight. Parrots were almost a rarity here.  It a ..read more

Seven decades after the Asiatic Cheetah was declared extinct in India, eight cheetahs were flown in from Namibia, marking a much-awaited return for the big cat.   On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated his birthday with the majestic predators, releasing eight cubs of the African species at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. An unforgettable day in Madhya Pradesh! pic.twitter.com/ius7WxTlDN — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 17, 2022 Another person who was perhaps even happier than the Prime Minister on Saturday was 83-year-old Dr M K Ranjitsinh.  A ..read more

Kanak Saxena’s day begins at 4.30 am.  She wakes up and heads straight to the kitchen — not to cook for her family, but for 120 dogs. The 90-year-old hasn’t let health problems like osteoporosis, fractures, or major operations come in her way.  She says the happiness and love she receives by feeding these dogs is the secret to her health.  Kanak Saxena with a rescue dog She wasn’t always a dog lover, but when her granddaughter Sana brought their dog Coco home, everything changed. “I wasn’t attached to dogs earlier. When Sana brought a dog home, I slowly started getting attached ..read more

“I’ve always been fond of travelling. So, it was nothing short of a dream come true for me when I travelled across the country to reach one of my favourite destinations,” exclaims Kochi resident Sudheesh K T, who recently fulfilled his lifelong wish of taking a road trip to Ladakh on his 100 cc bike. But the journey was special for a very different reason and it was because he had the best travel companion — Snowbell, his three-year-old pet dog. “Travelling with Snowbell was one of the best decisions I took,” says the 28-year-old, who rescued him from the street almost three years ago. “There ..read more

“He was not a crocodile but a friend,” Basawan, a resident of Bawa Mohtara village in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district, told Hindustan Times after the death of the 130-year-old Gangaram in 2019. Crocodiles are widely feared, but not in Bawa Mohtara. This is because, for the longest time, this tiny village was home to Gangaram, one of the most docile members of this dangerous predator species. Loved and revered by his village, Gangaram would swim peacefully alongside young children while their mothers washed clothes on the banks of his pond. No one was ever attacked by him, and the villagers re ..read more

You know the saying, ‘a dog is a man’s best friend’ — it’s old, common, and true. If you’re a dog owner, you definitely agree. That bond between you and your furry friend is special and indescribable. Caring for a dog is no easy feat, but it’s rewarding nonetheless. The relationship remains unique and real. When it comes to celebrating the human-dog dynamic, movies across industries have captured different nuances — from Hachi (2009) to Chillar Party(2011). And now, another addition to this list is the upcoming and highly anticipated ‘777 Charlie’. This pan-India venture from the Kannada film ..read more

Edwin Joseph from Bengaluru, a 74-year-old retired technician from BHEL is a nature lover, doing his part to save the sparrows in the city. For the past 15 years, he has been feeding around 250 sparrows at his house. He had set up multiple feeders, filled with millets for the sparrows. Below them, he placed plates to collect discarded husks and also attached a wooden plank for the birds to sit on it peacefully. Moreover, he also provides water and has grown small trees to create a canopy for the little birds. Joseph who has been featured in several prominent publications believes that it’s the ..read more

On the eve of December 31, 2016, Haris Ali spotted a dog suffering from severe shock and frothing at the mouth. She had come to the tiny store nearby, distressed and in need of help. Instead, the people around her were pouring water on her in an attempt to shoo her away. “Their behaviour was inhuman,” Haris, who is from Bengaluru, recalls in a conversation with The Better India. “The dog was already suffering so much that she was not even able to get up. She was in terrible pain.” Jumping in to help, he dialled different NGOs for help, but in vain. With no time to spare and considering that th ..read more