Meet the Man Who Cares for 40 Stray Dogs No One Else Wants – Despite Protests From His Neighbors

When an animal is in need, animal lovers will stop at nothing and will refuse to give up. We recently shared the story of one Muslim woman who won’t stop caring for animals even though she has been outcasted from her community for doing so. There was also the courageous story of a woman who started a shelter for over 100 dogs after tragically losing her son. Seeing these stories gives us hope that there are plenty of people who see animals as valuable and important members of our society.

So when we read the story of a man who continues to house 40 dogs, despite locals protesting, we were naturally left in awe.

Rajeev Krishnan used to work in real estate in the early 2000s and had about six dogs to care for, but when PAW (People for Animal Welfare) asked if he would be willing to help more animals, he said yes (despite his inexperience) and left his job to help animals. 48-year-old Krishnan rescued most of the dogs he cares for from the streets in the Kannur district of Kerala, India, but there are others who came into his house and never left.

“I live alone in such a big house, with no one but my dogs to take care of. I lost my parents at a very young age and with no one in the family around, I have all the time in the world to take care of animals, said Krishnan.

Sadly, residents of Krishnan’s neighborhood have protested him for his unconditional compassion. The residents recently staged a sit-in in front of his home, alleging that the house is an illegal structure, complaining that the dogs are a nuisance to them. But that hasn’t stopped Krishnan from continuing to help dogs in need. “There is nothing illegal in what I do. When I applied for a license, the health inspector denied it without stating appropriate reasons. But they didn’t proceed to take the dogs away. After all, who wants to take care of them? Nobody,” he explained to The Quint.

“I will not budge, no matter what. We all have the responsibility of taking care of animals in need and no one can prevent me from doing that,” said Krishnan. 

Krishnan helps out feathered friends too. This young crow fell out of a mango tree and was close to death when he was called in to help. With no broken bones, the crow recovered thanks to Krishnan’s patience. 

The disagreement about his care for animals escalated over the years – to the point where now even auto rickshaw drivers were no longer willing to drive injured dogs to the hospital. Krishnan ended up having to buy a mini van so he could get them the help they need.

Krishnan beautifully summed up the bond between animals and humans saying, “We humans are capable of loving all the living creatures on this earth and the responsibility of taking care of animals lies on us. Just like humans, animals too, have emotions and experience pain. If we do not show compassion, who else will?”

Krishnan remains fearless and shows us that doing what is right trumps all.

If you’re feeling as inspired as we are after reading this story, you can make a difference in the lives of homeless animals simply by volunteering. Organizations rely heavily on volunteers to assist with animal care and day-to-day operations. There’s never a shortage of things to do and opportunities are available for people of every skill set. You can help take dogs for walks, give them food and water, and make sure their area is clean. If your preference is helping out behind the scenes, you can volunteer your services by assisting with fundraisers, outreach events or general office tasks. And please, always adopt and never shop!

Image Source: PAW Kannur/Facebook