By Just Dogs
We’ve heard the phrase ‘happiness is a four-legged word’ but how many of us have experienced it?
When we talk about transforming lives, we first relate it to success; the journey from being rich to richer. However, this enrichment is not always materialistic. The journey of transformation is about enrichment of life, where happiness comes in the form of love, warmth, belonging and joy.
We were lucky to meet a few people who experienced this transformative journey and what’s common between all of these stories is how it all began at the same place!
The Focal Point of Happiness
We all want a rewarding career, a career that helps us to realize our dreams. Arpit, Akul, Venkat and Rohit, started working at Just Dogs with the hopes of having a stable and successful career just like everyone else. Little did they know that they were also on a transformative journey to become better, kinder and more affectionate human beings.
So without much further ado, here are the stories of 4 people working at Just Dogs and how their lives changed after adopting a pet.
“She united our family”
We were always busy with our work. Neither of us had the time to sit together and talk about how the day went or what was going on in the other’s life. We barely had time for each other.
Snow changed everything. She was what brought our little family together every evening. We had so much fun with her we forgot to use our phones. Our little cat united our family as if she was what was missing.
I was always fond of cats and watched stray cats play and sneak around my neighbourhood. I considered bringing home a cat several times but wasn’t sure I would be able to take on the responsibility.
After I joined Just Dogs, I would see beautiful cats coming to Just Dogs and I would play with them and that’s when I knew I was ready to get a cat. But I didn’t want to shop, I wanted to adopt. I spent days trying to convince my sister until she finally agreed to take care of the cat with me.
It was difficult to manage in the beginning but over time, I learnt to balance between my work and taking care of Snow. Snow loves playing hide and seek, she’s a pro at it! I learnt everything about what to feed them, how to feed them, what is best for them, I learnt way more than I ever expected to know.
My experience at Just Dogs taught me that it is not that difficult to care for a pet. I now knew about the various services that cats can receive like cat spa, cat grooming, and so many options of foods and toys to choose from for cats – it was the right push.
If I hadn’t joined Just Dogs, I would never have been inspired to adopt a cat, and I would have made so many mistakes. Without her, our home would not have been so happening and joyful.
– Arpit
‘One glance at her, and I was like yeah…I’m definitely taking her home’
It was just an ordinary day and I had no idea something extraordinary as going to happen to me that day. I saw an adoption post on my colleague’s social media. It was the first time I saw Fifi. Not only did she look beautiful in pictures, she was also more elegant when I saw her for the first time. You can call it ‘love at first sight’ because it definitely was.
How could anyone give away someone so vulnerable and yet so perfect? I decided to adopt Fifi the minute I saw her. I felt a connection and the glistening in her eyes captured my heart. I took her home and since then she has become my everything. I am guilty of pampering her with too many toys and treats and letting her boss me around. Everything that a first-time pet parent does!
Fifi is very calm and composed; seldom does she bark and seldom does she get annoyed. I would read endlessly about dog behaviour and would make sure she is comfortable. It took her some time to settle down but now she is comfortable with all of us at home and has become a queen, capturing all of our hearts.
I always know what she is doing, even when I’m not home. When I’m at work, I watch her from the cameras I’ve installed; I always make sure she is safe. Now, after being with her for this long, I can neither live without her nor love anyone as much as I love her.
I’ve always loved pets and working at Just Dogs made me love them even more. Every day I would meet new pets and they would leave a pawprint on my heart.
If not for Just Dogs, I wouldn’t have gained confidence to have a dog. Just Dogs changed my life as without them, I would never have thought of bringing such an angel home.
– Akul
Ragnar – the king that rules over my heart
I had worked with Just Dogs on quite a few projects before joining them permanently. This was the best decision of my life. They encouraged me and taught me to love animals. It is where I learnt to adopt not shop. They gave me a new life and it is from there that I learnt to give a new life to another.
The new life I am talking about is Ragnar, the adorable ball of fur. My friends call him nothing else but Chandragupt; just like his name, he is the king that has captured our hearts.
I’ve always loved animals and pets but never thought or even considered adopting one. When I joined Just Dogs, all my coworkers had a pet and I would see them all the time; many times, they would be sleeping on my laptop or my lap when I was working. The Just Dogs foundation inspired and made me feel more empathy towards the strays that never had a permanent home.
Being in a marketing role, I always promoted taking strays in and adopting them and when I saw this baby cat, I realized it was time for me to practice what I preached. On the day of Diwali, I brought home real happiness. I brought home Ragnar. It has been a crazy roller coaster ride ever since I brought him home. My roommates have loved him ever since they played with him the first time. Throughout my days with him, I have learned so much from him. He was among the 5-7 kittens that were rolling around at a roadside café.
Ragnar doesn’t demand much and he is very independent but he loves playing with me when I return from work and he likes jumping from one place to another. Despite the extra responsibilities being a bachelor, I love doing anything for him.
Ever since I got Ragnar home, I feel like I found a home away from home. He is the reason I look forward to going back home.
– Venkat
Yoddha – our warrior
The Just Dogs Foundation and Floof, a foundation by Ashish Joshi inspired me to do something for strays. Every day, I thank the whole team for inspiring me and pushing me to do something for these innocent lives.
I always wanted to do something for animals but never realized when I was ready to adopt a dog. Seeing Mr. Ashish and how he changed the lives of many others, I was also inspired to do something. I couldn’t do anything as big as these two foundations but changing the life of one also felt great. The Just Dogs foundation did so much for many that I felt like doing something for them too, and so I did. I took in Yoddha. It has been the best decision of my life.
I was overwhelmed when I brought Yoddha home and it was quite overwhelming for him too. I let him loose and let him explore the whole house. I made sure he is safe and comfortable at home with access to everything he would need, – food, water, treats, a cozy blanket lots of toys and so much more.
Everyone in this world is fighting a war of their own, whether big or small and this puppy was also fighting his war in the outside world. I called him Yoddha because he is a warrior of his own story. Everyone at home was quite apprehensive when he came home for the first time but it didn’t take him long to make a small space for himself in everyone’s heart. He changed our lives and now, none of us can live without him.
After Yoddha came into my life, I started looking forward to going back home and spending more time with him. We go on walks; we play and sleep together – we do everything together. He has balanced my life and more importantly, he has given meaning to my life.
Yoddha is my Yoddha. I love him.
– Rohit
