Samyukta’s paw-titude to care for strays

Samyukta Hornad’s love for animals is renowned. Her Insta page is ample proof. Vocal about pet adoption and animal rights, the actor launched her non-profit, Praana, today, aiming to make the world a better place for animals.

The desire to help animals is intrinsic in Hornad, and has only evolved. “Recently, looking through my fresh out of college resumes, I realised that my work with animals appears several times! During childhood too when most peers were at summer camps, I surrounded myself with animals.My social life was nature and animals, with an urge to do something. The plan took a backseat when I became an actor, as I was busy getting entrenched in the industry. The desire rekindled when I adopted Gunda (her pet dog). During Covid, I decided to pursue my animal-shelter dream, and built a team. I have started small, but am hopeful that it will take shape,” says the animal activist.

Praana, means life, and with it, she wants to help animals lead healthy, complete lives with the aid of rescue, treatment, rehabilitation and education. “We are working towards proving care for strays. The first step is ambulance service. ABC - animal birth control is most important too. We might love animals, yet, we need to control the stray dog population as it can lead to bigger problems. We are looking at sterilising and vaccinating strays in south Bangalore. Starting small, we will hopefully expand into a fully-functional trauma care centre,” she adds.
Anti-animal cruelty officer Anirudh Ravindra is helping Samyukta. “Over the years, I have built a strong team capable of running Praana, in my absence. Many have over 10 years of experience. I am excited to start this journey to make a difference,” Samyukta signs off.