Food for the Feeders
BANAT KAUR BAGGA, 21 GAYATRI CHOPRA, 21 GANEEV BAGGA, 18 VARUN CHOPRA, 17
Housing societies
in Mumbai tend to have two kinds of people— those who feed stray animals and those who complain about the feeders. Banat Kaur Bagga has faced several complaints about her generosity towards stray dogs and cats in the neighbourhood, but that has never stopped her. Last June, the law student set up Feeders with the help of her classmate Gayatri Chopra and their siblings Ganeev and Varun, to raise funds for others like her. They began with a raddi (dry waste) collection drive in their society, but when that wasn’t as successful as they’d hoped. “It wasn’t until we began organising quirky events targeted at the youth that we finally saw some success,” reveals Bagga.
Fun and Philanthropy
Versova’s Cat Café Studio proved to be the perfect venue for Pet Stories, a session meant for pet owners to come and share tales about their beloved tail-waggers.“We didn’t charge an entry fee. Donations were to be made in kind—pet food, rice and biscuits were welcome,” says Bagga. Their last event was an open mic night that saw musicians, poets and comedians come together for the cause of hungry street cats and dogs. While the others are in charge of spreading the word and documenting Feeders’ stories, Bagga holds herself responsible for identifying the city’s feeders who best deserve the aid. Website facebook.com/feedersmumbai