Pawsitive Paragons – Saviours of strays : The Mudgal Family

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This world is full of positivity. The only problem is that somehow we have become consumers of negatives. Every second, we are served with news of negativity and we consume it unaware that slowly and slowly we are being poisoned. In such a scenario, it is even more pertinent to find the positive antidotes littered around.
And once you get rid of the nihilistic mindset, you start finding those inspiring positive stories in plenty. This space is just an attempt to bring those hidden from plain sight, lesser heard of positive stories to the world.

Animals are Sacred

My search for positive stories in life brought me to this amazing Mother – Son duo in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. In true essence of what Yajurveda 13:47 says about taking care of animal life, this duo has been like gods to stray dogs in their vicinity. I heard stories about the sheer number of dogs they feed and it intrigued me, so I decided to approach them and have a chit chat with Mrs. Kakali Mudgal and her son Sparsh Mudgal. So let’s know their story in their own words.

Tell us briefly about yourselves

I am Kakali Mudgal, a Bengali  residing in Ghaziabad. Apart from being the mother of 2 kids and over 100 dogs, I work as an Sr. Manager Licensing Control APAC region at Springer Nature. It is a publishing house.

How did this love affair with stray dogs start?

It is when we first had a pet at home. It was long before my marriage and even then, we used to feed the stray pooches around our rented apartment. Now, with my financial abilities matching my goals for the stray animals, I am able to help a lot more dogs because I have loved them as my own kids since when we first had one. I was more dedicated to this cause after losing Maddy, my son’s first dog – gifted to him – by a friend. Maddy’s passing away at just 3 made us closer to the dogs and their lives on the roads.

How many dogs do you feed on a daily basis?

Around 80-100 dogs. I have 50 dogs around my colony and the rest outside the gated community. Sometimes hungry dogs smell food and come to surprise me. They are then habitual of being fed at the same spot.
Apart from feeding, I also take care of their health and yearly vaccination. I have ensured sterilization of around 50 dogs. I also take care of cleanliness and have hired a lady to ensure that the society is cleaned every day.

How do you arrange funds for this feeding drive? Or is it all from your savings?

Initially for the first 5-6 years it was all done from my savings. But as the word spread, a few good Samaritans came forward to help. A friend donates roughly 200 kg rice every month now and another one helps with the monthly bill for the amount of milk used. But majorly, my own savings are utilized in this work.

Have you ever faced resistance or ridicule from family, friends, society for this noble act of yours? How do you handle that negativity?

All the time. From having a few odd puppies being thrown away after being taken to an isolated spot, to full-fledged harassment from the colony peeps, we have faced it all. Me and my kids have fought against the whole society and even got big notices stuck on our doors for feeding the dogs. But my mantra is to avoid such fools and let them bark. Even when the law does not come to your rescue a few odd measures do the trick. Telling them to mind their own business is my key.

What is that one message that you would like to give everyone to motivate them into adopting strays?

We’re the smartest of kinds if we say so. We are humans with the ability to think and do something more than the usual. If one family keeps even 1 chapati or one pack of biscuit for a stray dog, then no stray dog will roam around hungry. A well fed dog is not likely to bite so that is also beneficial to human health. I advise people to be more empathetic to the voiceless animals. They just need some food and love. Then they will be your biggest protectors. They will guard you with their life.

An inspirational story indeed

To feed a hungry soul one time is in itself considered an act of extreme nobility. Imagine how noble it is to feed about 100 empty stomachs every day for 10 years. Imagine the scale of such a mission and the fact that it is helmed by one lady for such a long time is an inspirational tale. In her story, one can find lessons in hope, dedication, empathy and determination. I hope that her story is emulated in every corner of this country and even world. We owe this much to this planet and especially to dogs. After all they are our best friends.