I am blessed to have been born into a family that loves pets. The love a pet can provide is unconditional & eternal in my experience.
I had a pet waiting to welcome me as I came home for the 1st time from the hospital just three days after my birth. Crystal, a gorgeous white lab, greeted me with a woof, sniffed me thoroughly, curiously inspected me by circling me & decided we would be long-term friends! She & I were a team during my toddler years. I only ate when she was around & learned to walk using her for support…We were an inseparable pair!
Crystal
When I was two years old, Crystal delivered eight puppies! Oh…those fluff balls. I had the absolute best time with them. Sharing, caring, being responsible & bonding came so naturally to us that they were not buzzwords in our family!
Two of Crystal's eight puppies
And then, my baby brother came along… He & Crystal completed my circle of love…To cut a long story short, we have always had pets throughout my childhood years. This is the thing about dogs - They make your life better, make you smile more & force you to move. They encourage you to be more mindful of the present. They make you feel loved. Perhaps that is why it's no surprise that science has shown dogs improve your physical, mental and emotional health.
As I grew up, I realized that having a pet was very important to deal with the angst of growing up & deal with the emotional upheaval that the hormones bring. I read up a lot on the benefits of being around animals & realized that:
1. Dogs improve your mood: Study after study has shown that owning a pet can help you to maintain a more positive, optimistic perspective on life and what you're faced with. Better yet, they can even lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Animal expert Karen Winegar sums it up beautifully: "The human-animal bond bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart and emotions and nurtures us in ways that nothing else can."
2. Dogs make you feel loved: Spending time with dogs, petting and cuddling them increases our levels of oxytocin- the love hormone.
3. Dogs lower your stress: Petting dogs lowers your cortisol, the stress hormone. Studies at the University of New York found that people experienced lower stress levels when conducting a stressful assignment if they had a pet. Studies in workplaces have also shown that taking dogs to work lowers your worry, improves your recovery after challenges and even increases positive social interactions.
4. Dogs help you to be social: Going out with your dog is the best ice breaker for any conversation! As your dog greets another dog, a few words with the dog's owner. It's easier to chat because you already have one common ground.
5. Dogs keep you healthy and fit: If you own a dog and love it, you take it for walks. You play with them. You keep them entertained. That means you're active throughout your day, which naturally boosts your physical health while also, as a bonus, improving your mood. In line with this, clinical studies have shown that dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart-related diseases.
Dash
I scaled this thought into a productive internship during my high school years. I initiated “Time with Puppies” - a comfort-dog program which continues to positively impact the psychiatric in-patients at a hospital in Bangalore. I had the privilege to volunteer and intern with renowned psychiatrists & psychologists at People Tree Maarga Hospital (PTMH), focusing on teen mental health & shadowing them on their psychiatric assessments & therapy sessions. I was instrumental in organizing group activities for inpatients.
During my internship, I noticed that loneliness was common to most patients. They wanted somebody they could spend time with, someone who could give them attention and unconditional love. That led me to think of pets - puppies! I was sure it would calm them down and aid in their recovery and reintegration into society. I discussed this idea with Dr. Satish Ramaiah, the hospital chief and other doctors. They entrusted me with the responsibility of driving this project. After researching the subject, I contacted a pet adoption center called “Let’s Live Together.” I discussed the proposal and my ideas with them. I arranged for them to visit the hospital twice a week and set up a camp with a few of the friendly puppies they had at the shelter. They were willing to do it free of charge, as they felt it would help many struggling children undergoing psychiatric treatments.
When we saw the patients playing with the puppies, The Drs & I noticed a big difference in their outlook & positivity. This gave me a huge sense of accomplishment & I sincerely pray and hope to this day that this small action of mine is helping the hospital cure their patients & to live fulfilling lives in society.
Ace
Now, I’m in college! 3000 KM away from home & my comfort zone! Plaksha University was my top choice among the Indian colleges I applied to. Years of hard work, resume building, character building & months of interviews & jumping through various hoops (amid the the COVID lockdown) led me to this point in my life! I spent the 1st semester getting acclimatized and understanding how things worked in the adult world far away from my family! I completely understood Milan Kundera's words for the 1st time! “Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring-it was peace.”
During the 2nd semester, the novelty of things had worn off… We were facing the bitter north Indian winter for the 1st time. I realized most of my friends & I were irritable, dealing with anxiety & homesickness. Emotional outbursts at the drop of a hat had become super common in the dorms! There was a general feeling of discontent & dissatisfaction amongst us… Our school counselor was suddenly inundated with requests for an appointment. I did realize that this was also just another passing phase that we were going through in our journey into adulthood, but this knowledge didn’t offer comfort during the freezing cold nights.
I started thinking of what I could do to alleviate these feelings & build emotional resilience when Johnny Depp’s words, “The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.” came to my mind.
I approached Shalini Ma'am with my idea for a program similar to the one I had instituted in Maarga! Thus, The Cuddle Club: Pet Your Stress Away! was born. She was highly supportive & encouraged me to go ahead with the idea.
A bunch of enthusiastic fur balls came to campus & whooshed their tails like a magic wand! I sincerely hope this program continues to be as successful & gives comfort to students long after I graduate.
As Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, famously said,
“Happiness is a warm puppy.”
