Every day at the break of dawn, Malan Vinayak Sonawane, known as 'Animal Mom', begins her day preparing kilos of rice and chicken for the 250+ stray dogs she lovingly feeds across Mumbai. From Juhu to BKC, she travels in her rickshaw carrying pots of food and a heart full of compassion.
Her work with the Animal Mom Foundation is driven by empathy, not fame. Mocked by some and called the 'Mother of Dogs', Malan wears the name with pride. She not only feeds the animals but also takes injured and unwell strays to the vet, arranges foster care, and ensures those in deserted areas like cremation grounds get food and water.
In this powerful interview, Malan opens up about the emotional toll and joy of caring for those who can’t speak for themselves. She shares a heartfelt plea:
“If a stray dog comes near your house, don’t beat them. Give them water, a bite of roti, or even a cloth to shield them from the cold. They don’t have homes, they just want to survive.”
As the world rushes on, she quietly rewrites what it means to be a hero. Ahead of Mother’s Day, we honour her kind of motherhood- the kind that nurtures not just humans, but every soul in need.