Two city teenagers, Shruti Darak, 19, and Mohammad Zabi Khan, 17, are currently out on a mission to save as many abandoned dogs as they can. And that’s why
the two have even started a shelter — adorably called ‘A Place to Bark’.
“It’s really tough to find abandoned dogs a home,” says Shruti, a student. “Earlier, when we rescued a dog, we had to file a police complaint and if no one claimed the dog for a month, we would look for foster homes.” Her friend and partner Zabi agrees. “Often, we had to plead with people to even house a pup. And when that didn’t work we would give the animals off to Blue Cross or People for Animals, but now their kennels are full.”
A Place to Bark, currently under construction near the Qutb Shahi Tombs, Tolichowki, can accommodate upto 10 dogs. And the duo has already started by rescuing two dogs. “We started off by running around (despite the exams), looking for a spot for the shelter. People were unwilling to trust two teenagers with no financial backing,” says Shruti, who has rescued around 200 dogs in the past two years.
Money is a problem the two are hoping to fix. “We will be starting a kennel facility which will allow families to leave their pets with us, if they’re planning to travel,” adds Zabi, who’s hoping more people come forward and help abandoned animals.
