Teen Raises Thousands for Senior Dogs So They Can Have ‘A Second Chance’

Meena was found abandoned, left in a basket on a college campus in Pune, India, at just 9 months old. She was adopted at age 2 by a Mumbai couple who brought her to live with them in the United States.

As a child, her love for animals was unmistakable. She often begged her mother to allow her to visit the local dog rescue so she could play with the animals. As much as Meena enjoyed spending time at the shelters, she grew disheartened by how often senior dogs were left behind. Some prospective pet owners were wary of adopting older dogs, suspecting that they would require more costly medical procedures. 

Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a cage-free, mostly volunteer-run rescue, soon became Meena’s home away from home and favorite place to visit. The San Francisco nonprofit rescues and rehomes older dogs. She admired how Muttville offered senior dogs “a second chance at life.”

Having been abandoned herself, Meena understood how it feels to be left behind. She never viewed the senior dogs as a burden, but rather as intelligent, gentle and loyal companions for the right pet parents. Meena hopes to encourage others to adopt older dogs as they too provide an abundance of unconditional love and can make a wonderful addition to any home. 

“I think senior dogs have just given us so much and I feel that they all deserve a loving, sweet home just like I found mine here,” Meena said with conviction.  

Meena hopes to inspire others to adopt senior dogs as they offer the same unconditional love as any other dog. During the pandemic, she observed how dogs have helped soothe their owners’ anxiety and loneliness. She believes as animals have helped us, we, in turn, need to do our part and help them when the opportunity arises.

Meena was determined to find a way to support Muttville in its noble mission of saving senior dogs. Her brainstorm was a pet-sitting business whose profits she would donate to the rescue. She named the business Pet Fairy Services and advertised on Nextdoor. 

Meena generously contributed all her pet-sitting earnings to Muttville. As pet lovers heard of the teen’s fundraising effort, they donated to the cause as well. Meena discovered that her father’s firm had a matching donation program, which she joined, doubling her contribution. The combined donations amounted to an incredible $140,000.

PassItOn and Foundation for a Better Life believe Meena Kumar is a hero for her passion and dedication in helping animals. She donated her time, funds, labor, and love to ensure that animals have a chance to live their remaining years in a loving home.  Her action is the perfect example of the value of compassion. Compassion means caring for others the way you might wish to be cared for. Fourteen-year-old Meena Kumar did just that by opening her heart to four-legged friends who have experienced abandonment, as she did. Please help us celebrate this young hero by sharing her heartwarming story. 

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photo credit: Facebook