Cheers to paw-dorable bonds
From being lockdown pals to emotional support systems, pets have played a very crucial role, especially for those who’ve been away from home. On Friendship Day, how can we forget how easy our four-legged friends have made life, particularly in these trying times!
“This is my first time living in a flat with a pet,” says Bilal Khan, an architect who adopted Jojo, a threemonth-old kitten. “The period is frustrating. Work timings are haphazard, there are no fixed schedules. But Jojo being here changed the situation. It involved taking care of her, feeding her, taking out time to play with her… She has her own shenanigans!” he adds.
For Raunak Mehta Sandhu, who is from the aviation field and also part of an animal welfare initiative, adopting Comet, a five-year-old Beagle, proved to be a boon. “Comet had separation anxiety as he was transferred to a new house. But the biggest benefit was that I got to comfort him during this time. I slowly started venturing out when relaxations were announced, the gradual change really helped.”
During this period, there has been an increase in pet adoption queries. “When I asked people why they want to adopt, the most common response I received was, ‘We couldn’t adopt earlier because of hectic work timings. We’re at home now, so we’d like to have a companion’,” says Archana, a dog rescuer for Indie breeds, who feels people wanting pets now prefer to adopt, than shop.
Kritika Sehgal
Sanchita Kalra