Mangaluru: This autorickshaw driver turns messiah for stray animals

Mangaluru: In our busy lives, we never give a second thought to the strays that wander around our neighborhood as we consider it routine and nothing of significance. Sometimes, it is the bark of a dog or a chilling cry of a cat that grabs our attention but because it doesn’t make any difference to our lives, we forget about it the next moment. What we forget is that we, as humans, have a responsibility to help, care, and pay attention to the needy and helpless creatures who depend on us. Setting an example here’s an auto-rickshaw driver in the city who has turned as an angel to such stray animals.

Sanjeev Rao, a resident of Mudipu is not only feeding and giving bath to stray animals but also rescuing injured strays and dropping them to animal care trust in his own rikshaw for treatment when the ACT volunteers are unable to pick up the animals.

Speaking to Udayavani Sanjeev said, “My love towards animals is unconditional and I feel sad for the homeless animals, so I want to help them all. I have been feeding and rescuing stray animals for over ten years now.”

“I have always lived by the dictum that he who feeds hungry animals, feeds his own soul so I always carry food and whenever I see strays that do not belong to any pack, probably dumped, which is very common, I feed them. Feeding strays gives me satisfaction,” said Sanjeev.

He further added, “Whenever an ACT volunteer won’t be able to pick-up a rescue case I voluntarily to do it and drop the animals at the ACT shelter home. However, some people call me directly and ask me to rescue stray.”

“Few people who ask me to rescue animals pay me the auto-rickshaw fare and some don’t, however, I don’t mind doing it for free,” said Sanjeev when asked about the funding.

Apart from rescuing, feeding, and giving bath to animals, Sanjeev has also adopted three cats and four dogs and is taking care of it like his own children.

“Animals love selflessly. They forgive, they forget and they live and love like there is no tomorrow. They are free children of God and have been made to remind us of these virtues. They cannot protest when their voice is not heard. What we do comes back to us in multifold, be it good or evil. The choice rests with us. I have been blessed to be able to bring them home, to be able to take care of them, to stand up for them,” he said.

“The more we try and help, the more there will be a change. So be more kind and compassionate towards your strays,” said Sanjeev.