Meet Aarti Rajani, Kolkata Woman Who Feeds 60 Indies Daily & Has Sterilized Over 400 Dogs

Aarti Rajani, a resident of Ballygunge in South Kolkata, has become a symbol of kindness and care for stray dogs. Every day, she dedicates her time to feeding, sterilizing, and providing medical care for over 60 street dogs, according to a report by The Telegraph.

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Her journey into this world of animal welfare started unexpectedly. Aarti Rajani once disliked dogs and wasn’t open to having them in her home. However, when her family brought home a pug named Toyo in 2010, everything changed. Toyo became a beloved family member, and his presence opened Aarti’s heart to the love and companionship dogs offer.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Aarti noticed the plight of stray dogs near her home. Many were starving and struggling to survive. She began feeding a few dogs outside Ballygunge Science College, but soon realized the issue was much larger than she had imagined. As she continued, she discovered more hungry and neglected dogs in various areas, and her mission expanded to cover multiple locations in South Kolkata.

Aarti’s daily routine revolves around her “children”, as she lovingly calls these dogs. She wakes up at 6 AM to cook large quantities of food and then goes out on a feeding round from 7 to 8.30 AM. After a brief swimming session and coming back home to finish chores, she goes to the market to buy groceries. Again at 4 PM, she cooks a second batch of food and goes on her second feeding round from 6 to 8 PM.

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She prepares around 10 kg of food daily for the dogs. She even invites others to collect food from her home if they want to feed strays in their own areas.

Understanding that feeding alone wouldn’t solve the problem, Aarti began focusing on sterilization to control the stray dog population.

Partnering with NGOs and animal shelters, she launched a sterilization drive that has helped over 400 dogs in South Kolkata.

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She also provides vaccinations and first aid, treating diseases and injuries like distemper, parvo, rabies, and maggot wounds. Her hard work and dedication was recognized by people around her and now, many people come forward to donate whatever they can so Aarti can carry on vaccination, sterilization and feeding drives. NGOs have also joined hands with her in this noble cause.

Aarti dreams of creating a shelter for paralysed, blind, and elderly dogs, where they can live safely and comfortably. Fueled by the memory of her beloved Toyo, who passed away in 2022, Aarti continues to work tirelessly to improve the lives of the strays around her, proving that one person’s kindness can indeed make a big difference.

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