“Today I bargained for Rs 2.
While trying to purchase dry grass for setting up a shed for the dogs at the ‘Tails of Compassion’ animal home, I bargained for Rs 2. A bundle costs Rs 10. I asked the seller to give it for Rs 8. A 2-rupee here and a 2-rupee there would add up to Rs 100. And I wanted to desperately save that 100. That my friend, is the real story behind running a shelter,” says Divya.
Two young, dynamic, resilient and kind-hearted women Divya Parthasarathy and Karuna Yadav have given the word “compassion” a beautiful new meaning altogether. They have not only devoted their time, patience, energy but also their monthly salaries from current jobs and lives’ savings in building and sustaining this safe heaven for their furry friends called the ‘Tails of Compassion’ (ToC). Well, let’s really get to know these girls a bit more.
Divya’s Journey:
Ask her and she would tell you that even she doesn’t remember since when she had been rescuing animals in distress. She has been doing it all her life, from the time she was a little girl. But the idea of opening ToC wasn’t there on the cards till something ghory and unsettling happened. One random act of kindness eventually led to the idea of actually establishing a place of her own. She was at an animal hospital with a rescue case, when somebody got a dog and laid him on the next table. Half of his face was damaged by terrible maggots wound. The vet there said he couldn’t do much and that the dog was to be put to sleep. They didn’t even want to try. But one look at the dog and she could tell that he had the fighting spirit, he wanted to live! Since, when have we become the Almighty? Since, when have we started to believe that we could take away life without giving the victim a fair chance at survival? She begged and said that she would take care of all his medical expenses and was ready to take his complete responsibility. But they point-blankly refused to have her involved. She was forced to take some inside help and got the dog out of there. It was then that she knew deep inside her heart that she needed her own place to stop this madness. And hence, ToC was born. It has not been a walk in the park but nonetheless a seemingly fulfilling journey that is most definitely going to shake up many from their reverie and inspire them to find their true calling in life!
Karuna’s Journey:
From the very beginning, she was absolutely clear on one point, the “Value of Life”. Coming from a family who was non-vegetarians, she was aghast and appalled eating meat from a really tender age of 6. Apparently no reason at all, but she did. Fearing that her mother would snap at her for refusing to eat it, she would quietly throw the pieces from her plate out of the window and would just make do by eating only with the broth. This continued for a couple of years till she was 8 and then she outwardly revolted and became a vegetarian by choice. She had pets at home that were being raised not as animals but babies. Then one day, on her way to work, she found an injured puppy coming out of a gutter. Bigger dogs had bit her so bad that she had suffered a critical spinal injury that rendered her paralyzed for the rest of her life. The various doctors she took the puppy to advised her to euthanize the baby but she looked at her and knew that she wanted a second chance at life! She called her ‘Chinky’. Karuna single-handedly cared for Chinky for a whole 9 months that were to follow, very much like a mother caring for her child. Chinky needed to be kept clean from her own pee and poop at all times. She got better under her watch. But Karuna knew that eventually, she would have to move her to a shelter but she was scared. It was then that she heard about ToC and the amazing work Divya was doing. She left Chinky there with a heavy heart not knowing what fate awaited her. But the next time she visited her, she couldn’t stop the happy tears. Not only was Chinky doing great and looked overjoyed to meet Karuna, but she had also seemed to have developed a personality of her own. Chinky came running to greet her mommy, wearing a set of wheels!
Karuna always wanted to open a shelter herself. But one chance meeting with Divya and her heart told her that she was at the right place at the right time. It was Divya’s birthday. Karuna proposed a partnership. And Divya was only too happy to accept her support, loyalty, and friendship with open arms. Since then they have been inseparable, soul sisters and partners-in-crime!
Founded on August 18, 2017, ToC houses approximately 50 dogs and 2 goats. The girls also regularly feed 40 animals in and around their vicinity. And they don’t stop at just that. They also pick up injured animals from the streets and provide them with necessary medical care. And to add to that, they even get all these babies neutered and complete their sterilization process as well.
ToC pledges to provide a compassionate haven for old, injured and special needs dogs and other animals. They don’t believe in keeping the animals in cages, even under treatment. They roam around as free spirits living life king-size! These girls are hoping to get the world fall in love with the ‘Indies’. Indies are no lesser than any of the expensive breeds as they too have the same heart beating inside them.
Any non-profit organization requires two things to become successful – dedication and support. They have the dedication. All they need is the support. They have a place which is on the lease. They pay the rent, utility and vet bills, caretakers’ salaries and spend on the dogs’ food and medicines on a daily basis. Over 100 mouths to feed and the number is only growing. These voiceless babies are looking at them with a plea that they shouldn’t again be abandoned and left to die in the hands of fate!
The team was forced to vacate their last property on short notice and are now building their new place that requires work from scratch. In the future, ToC is aspiring to undertake a project of sending an army of their Special Needs’ Furry Friends to various institutions to inspire and motivate people who are stuck up in stressful situations or combating depression. These happy babies will soon spread joy and positivity to all the places they are invited to. You can play with them, give them belly rubs, have eager exchanges of countless hugs and kisses, all for free! The smiles they are going to restore back are going to light up many of your darker days for a really long time to come.
You may want to reach them for the following:
– to book a therapy session
– visit the shelter as guests
– send in your aid
– adopt and take one of the babies home
– become a virtual parent
– just to have a chat
Please feel free to reach:
- Facebook page @tailsofcompassiontrust
- Email – tailsofcompassion@gmail.com
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