Please donate to help Leela's Place give a home to abandoned, emotionally and physically abused pets and strays.

Leela's Place Foundation is where abandoned dogs, or dogs who have been badly abused and then rescued, find a home. Many go on to their permanent families and homes that we chose with great care. But for some, Leela's Place becomes their permanent home and I their mother. The senior ones, the chronically ill ones, the ones who have been totally broken emotionally become my family. No one wants to take such vulnerable dogs home. 

Breeds like the Doberman, Rottweiler, Pit bulls are not easy to find homes for either. Unfortunately, these breeds are presumed to be aggressive - even though the ones with us are lambs. So they stay on with us too.

The idea behind Leela's place is to let unfortunate babies recover physically and emotionally. And be treated like pets should be.To that end, they get as much care, love, and indulgence as humanly possible. There has to be good food according to their individual needs. Medical attention. Indoor temperature control is a must in Delhi NCR's harsh summers and winters.

Leela's Place has to be second only to a family and a home of their own for these unfortunate girls and boys. That is non-negotiable. When we started, the focus was to heal these poor girls and boys physically and emotionally and when they were ready, put them up for adoption.

I had no idea then how much more complicated a simple idea like that would turn out to be.In this country, the concept of adopting an 'older pet', even when they are under one year old, is very alien.

A tiny group of people are trying to promote the concept of 'adopting' abandoned pets as opposed to buying puppies from back lane breeders running 'puppy mills' who get the females mated each time they come on heat, that's twice a year naturally and often more frequently by using hormones. They breed them until the life is sucked out of these poor girls and then spit out what remain.

 

 

In India, it is difficult to look away from strays that are in trouble. So I have many strays who are victims of terrible hit and run accidents, or health conditions that make them totally unsuitable for a life on the roads. They too become family. People ask me how I manage to look after so many dogs.How I can afford to.WelI, am very fortunate.

Donations come to me from people I've never met. Their kindness is what keeps me going day after day.Food, other necessities. I really am fortunate to be able to do what I do. I am often told that I am gathering good karma doing what I do.

My take on this is that I am born with a whole lot of good karma to be able to do what I do. So much that I can share it with every dog in my doggy family.

- Shreela Debi, founder of Leela's Place