Madhavi Adalja

I was not always an animal lover growing up. But it all changed 18 years ago when I decided to adopt a puppy named Brownie. Though it was tough initially to take care of her, we soon inseparable. Over the years it made me realize that no amount of work or money bought me as much joy as helping an animal in distress. And so, I took upon myself to start looking after the stray animals within my community. I was soon feeding, rescuing, and homing cats and dogs that came my way. My dedication and passion led me to some like- minded people with whom I cofounded NGO BAR (Bombay Animal Rights). We create awareness about the stray animals, organize marches against animal cruelty and take care of animals in distress. I have a wide network of fellow rescuers and friends who play a key role in helping me home the stray animals. I also undertake sterilizations and vaccination drives for the strays and work with various rescue groups all over Mumbai to help the fur babies in need for some TLC. I have successfully fostered and homed many cats. I consider myself a walking Encyclopedia on animal welfare, as I have all the relevant information at my fingertips – from the vet clinics to food vendors to adoption camps. My dream is to open my own shelter one day where I can continue the work I am doing and ensure that no animal is ever abused or goes hungry.