Chennai

Vidya Prasanna was asked to take care of a small lamb that was found on the streets after Cyclone Vardah. The resident of Thoraipakkam took in the animal and called her Eibi. “I raised her along with four other puppies, and it worked out very well for me. The dogs would dote on her, and she would jump and prance around everywhere,” he said.

Dinesh Baba found a piglet on the streets after the 2016 floods. “A tree had fallen on the mother and had killed her. I initially took in the pig to foster it for adoption, but we eventually warmed up to her,” said the resident of Ekkaduthangal. Babe the pig enjoys belly rubs and eating, he said, and behaves just like a friendly dog.

Prasanna, a dog trainer, explained that ensuring that the animal is raised in an environment conducive to their nature is important. “I believe that animals must not just survive. They must thrive. As Eibi needed open spaces, we took her to our farm in Thiruporur. There, she was free to jump and run to her heart’s content,” he said.

However, there can be some stigma behind adopting these pets, said Dinesh. “There are many misconceptions about pigs. For example, people believe they are very dirty animals and that they eat feces. There are also superstitious belief behind adopting pigs, which are also not true,” he said.

More people need to come forward to give these animals a good home, they said. “The main issue is that people are not educated about these animals’ conditions and their needs. If people were a little more empathetic towards the animals, and thought outside their own desires, more people would adopt,” said Prasanna.

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