A COVID warrior reminds us to also care for animals in this time of crisis

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi.

Meet Sujay Shenoy, a resident of Navi Mumbai, who is making sure that we remember to be humane by not forgetting the stray animals during this pandemic.

“Our four-legged companions go through so much but receive very little help. And with us staying at home, these animals who were earlier dependent on us for food, have now been starving.”, says Sujay.

His sense of love and responsibility towards animals led him to volunteer at an NGO and help over 10,000 dogs in the past 5 years. But he knew from the get-go that during this countrywide lockdown these innocent beings were going to need our help.

“I wanted to keep doing the same work on an individual level in and around my area, so I went to railway stations, bus depots, factories, etc. to feed and look after the strays during this crisis.”.

With grit, bravery and dedication in the past 60 days, he has fed around 600 dogs in Mumbai. His goal was supported and backed financially by his friends and associates, who also believed they could make a home for the animals and make sure they were not forgotten.

As for the ones who want to help but don’t know how to, Sujay has a few simple suggestions that will contribute to the larger good.

“You could help by even feeding the ones who take shelter under your buildings. And now that summer’s here, I request people to keep bowls of water, for the birds and animals. It doesn’t take much time.”.

Sujay believes that it’s a blessing to be loved by an animal and it’s our duty as humans to take care of them.

“Animals do speak to us, but only to those who listen”, he quotes, believing that they do show their gratitude and remember you if you help them even once.

As humans, we must strive to coexist in harmony, even during a crisis. And Sujay Shenoy is leading by example every single day. These are the #PeopleWhoRise during difficult times, and Mahindra salutes their challenger spirit.

If you know someone who is doing their bit to help the community fight this crisis, tag them or share their stories with us in the comments!