Fur mom Sanjana Madappa, who works at nonprofit animal rescue Compassion Unlimited Plus Action in Bangalore, India, loves dogs so much that she adopted not just one but five of them. To Sanjana, the pooches are more than pets and companions; they’re members of her family.
Sadly, not all fur parents feel the same way. A significant part of Sanjana’s animal welfare work is handling dog surrenders, one of the most common reasons for which is owner pregnancy.
According to Sanjana, a few of these owners simply don’t care that much for their dogs. Others have misconceptions about having pets around children, while some don’t get enough help and support from friends and family.
She always tells them that they don’t have to give up their pets just because they’re having a baby soon. More often than not, though, these pet owners tell Sanjana that she couldn’t possibly understand what they’re going through because she doesn’t have a child of her own.
But one day, Sanjana and her husband Aditya Raheja found out they were expecting, too. Nearly everyone —friends, family members, even her doctor — advised the mom-to-be to rehome all five of her dogs, emphasizing that her child should always come first.
Knowing it was futile to argue with them, she merely nodded and smiled. But Sanjana wanted to make a statement, and she decided that a photoshoot with her fur babies was the best way to tell her loved ones that the dogs will be staying with her.
Sanjana also shared how her pooches helped her get through a difficult and risky pregnancy. The canines kept her company whenever she was confined in bed, and they made sure their fur mom was okay whenever she had to deal with morning sickness and other health issues.
Sanjana’s dogs proved to be just as gentle with her son, Ayan. The fur mom didn’t have to teach them anything; the canines instinctively knew that they were their baby brother’s protectors.
The youngest pooch loved to sleep beside Ayan’s cradle, while the other dogs took it upon themselves to check on the infant whenever he cried.
Now, Ayan will grow up loved not just by his mom and dad, but also by his canine siblings. Watch the heartwarming bond between the child and one of their dogs in the video below:
Source: sanjana_madappa on Instagram and Shravan Krishnan on Facebook
