When the Amrolias threw open their gates for animal welfare

The Boat Club Road is a great address to have. That the Chennai Adoption Drive has managed to get parking place there is no small achievement. But all thanks (although she hates being thanked) to Sharon Amrolia, an animal lover, who impressed me quite a bit with her maturity and openness.

Sharon’s in advertising, but hasn’t really decided what to do with her life. As it turned out, she is the daughter of J.N. Amrolia, head of HR in Ashok Leyland for decades. I remember having met him in his cabin years ago, and Sharon introduced him to me today after 15 years. Not that he would have remembered, but for me it was a pleasure saying hello to a thorough gentleman.

Sharon herself was gracious to take me around to her front porch where lay her very own Shadow, a 13-year-old Labrador. He (Shadow) had come ambling along to where the pups were and had rested for a while at a vantage point, keen to be part of the activity, but old age drove him back soon indoors.

It is a wonderful thing the Amrolias are doing – solid, silent contribution for animal care. After all, how many would open out their gates to let in visitors? We need more of them, don’t we?

More pictures: the entrance on Boat Club Road to the Amrolia residence; a visitor filling up a form after formally adopting a pup; a volunteer with a timid pup; Sharon with Shadow; and Priya (left) with the smallest pup on show, and Rupa with the most active one, both volunteers at Blue Cross, and both pups from the BC stable.