Perfect Pooch is the name of the day care centre started by Ms. Sanam Karunakar to provide dogs with a home away from home. Whether it is only for a day or a week or a month, they welcome all canines with open arms into their house.
Founded in 2003 and created with three key principals: professional excellence, outstanding service and high-quality standards, Perfect Pooch has grown to be one of the most sought out places for dog owners.

Not only do they take care of your pets, but they also have an adoption centre as well as a re-homing facility.
In this interview we shall find out more about this beautiful soul and her endeavor to help out those who cant ask for

help.

Sahiba: hi sanam. welcome to the hall of fame. it great to have you with us.

Sanam Rabadi: Thanks for having me here

Sahiba: The pleasure is all ours. so sanam before we get started why dont u tell us something about yourself.

Sanam Rabadi: Well.. I am born and brought up in Mumbai and met with a car crash 13 years back which took the lives of both my parents and rendered me a quadriplegic.

Sahiba: Ok i am sorry about that. but after going through your profile u seem to be a person who takes life’s comings in her stride. you seem to have a very positive attitude which is a rare trait in many people. how would you say you have coped with things?

Sanam Rabadi: I believe that Life Goes On. We learn to live life with all the obstacles in it. I also had a lot of support from friends and well wishers who pushed me when I needed it the most. Love and support from loved ones can help you get through the most difficult times of your life. Every person has a potential to do something they want to. I did just that.

Sahiba: And how has man’s best friend helped you through all of this?

Sanam Rabadi: Magic (my black Labrador retriever) came into my life as a pleasant surprise following a newspaper article about me few years back. I was contacted by Shirin Merchant from Canines Can Care who wanted to place him with me as my assist (service) dog. I have always been crazy about animals especially dogs and was really excited about the idea. That’s how I got my Magical Angel as I like to call him. Once he came into my life, Shirin suggested I should start pet sitting which is basically boarding dogs when their owners are out of town. I was skeptical at first and wasn’t sure if I could handle it being in a wheelchair. I started with just a few dogs and now we have upto 15 dogs during holiday season. Dogs teach you patience and how to give unconditional love. Having any dog can brighten up your day.

Sahiba: I can totally understand the feeling. having had dogs myself and being an animal lover i know the love that these blessed creatures can give you. how old was magic when you got him? and tell us more about how he has been of help to you.

Sanam Rabadi: Magic was 5 months old when he was placed with me. He was taught basic commands first, such as sit, down, stay etc and then we continued his assist dog training. Since I was very keen on teaching him myself, Shirin asked me to attend a dog trainers course where she taught people how to train their dogs. My husband and I both attended that course and learnt so much that normal dog owners would not know. After that, we slowly started training Magic along with Shirin for the more tougher tasks like fetching dropped objects, opening and closing doors, switching on and off light switches to name a few.

Sahiba: You have written a poem about man’s best friend in which you have mentioned about how people say its “just a dog”. In a country where even human life is not given that much importance, animal life takes a complete back seat. Considering this attitude of people towards dogs and also that out country is not wheelchair friendly, how has it been for you and Magic?

Sanam Rabadi: I haven’t written that poem myself although I love each and every word of it.
It has been tough for Magic and me. As you said, India is not even wheelchair accessible yet and taking a dog to public places, even though he is a service dog, seems light years away. Most people are not exposed to having dogs as pets and for them anything not ‘human’ is not good. I feel dogs are far better. They don’t judge the way you look or don’t care how much you earn, they just love you for you.

Places in India are getting more wheelchair friendly but to have to be able to take a dog like Magic out into the world where he can be used to his full potential is grim according to me. This is also a reason why many people who are differently abled are not opting for an assist dog.

Sahiba: Absolutely. The way they look at you with those big watery eyes tells you how much they adore you.
What you said brings me to my next point. As you mentioned that people have this notion that if its not human its not good. Dogs are still being accepted. But animals like cat and fish are either meant to walk the street or serve as food. Do you think its easy to have them as guides for the differently abled? And also is it easy with them considering cats are thought of being as less compassionate as compared to dogs (pardon me if i am wrong).

Sanam Rabadi: Cats and fish can be used as therapy animals, not as an assist or service one. Any animal can make you feel wanted. Have you ever gazed at fish in a fish tank? They have the most soothing effect on you. The very act of showing affection to an animal relieves stress and makes you happy.

Sahiba: Well you are right about that.
I am sure you have the most enviable job in this world. One of the newspaper articles mentioned how you had 12 dogs at your place on Diwali. I can bet that must have been one the best Diwali’s. How does it feel to have those cute canines running about in the house with you to take care of them?

Sanam Rabadi: Feels fantastic. They all have such different personalities and likes and dislikes. Some of them need lot of pampering while some are like to play around with their other doggie friends. It’s a great big party

Sahiba: Has there been any funny or special incident with these dogs that you could share with us?

Sanam Rabadi: There are funny incidents all the time.
Once we had a dog who the owners left here and then did not want him back as they realized they did not want him. He was with us for 4 months and when he left (we found a good home for him) it was a bitter sweet moment for me. I was very attached to him but knew he was going to people who would love him a lot. He was one of those special dogs for me.

Sahiba: Apart from being a doggie day care, Perfect Pooch also helps in adoption and re-homing of Indian as well as foreign breeds. How is that coming along? And also how do people react to adopting Indian breeds (better known as street dogs/Indian pariah)?

Sanam Rabadi: As and when I get to know of a dog for adoption, I try and send out emails and also use my community Perfect Pooch on Orkut to let more people know of the dogs for adoption.

Indian breeds are very difficult to find homes for. Not many people want them as the feel they are off the streets and hence cannot be kept in a home. The other breeds find homes very fast. Owning a dog is also like a status symbol for many, which is extremely sad. A dog is a dog, no matter what the breed. An Indian dog would not give any less love than a foreign breed. People don’t realize that. With all the different breeds being introduced and available in India makes it far more difficult to find homes for the local breed.

Sahiba: completely agree with what u say. we share the same sentiments.
i read that even your husband is in on this with you. How does he feel about the thing?

Sanam Rabadi: My husband Suraj was never as fond of dogs as I was. I was always helping dogs off the streets in my area as a kid. Suraj was never exposed to dogs so he was one of those who did not hate dogs but never interacted with one so did not know the joys of dog ownership. Once we got Magic and also after we did Shirin’s course, he too has started liking as well as understanding dogs more.

Sahiba: That’s brilliant.
Is there anything more about Perfect Pooch that we should know. Also if there was something you had to say to those people who have the notion of “just a dog” or “just an animal” and think animals are jus there to occupy space on this earth, what would it be?

Sanam Rabadi: Perfect Pooch has made me closer to the animal I love the most. I would never have dreamt of having a better job. For me Perfect Pooch is my passion. Suraj and I are now internationally trained Canine Behaviorists and we understand dogs so much better.

For all those out there who thinks it’s ‘just a dog’ I would just like to say is for once open up your mind and heart to a dog or any animal and you will never be the same again. We all need to be loved and give love and what better way than to share it with an animal.

Sahiba: Well said. Finally, I just want to ask you one thing. Would you have it any other way?

Sanam Rabadi: No I wouldn’t. I have a great life, a husband who loves me, dogs that mean the world to me and Perfect Pooch which is the reason I get up everyday.
Anyone who would want to change that would be a fool.

Sahiba: Thank you so much for giving us this interview. It was a pleasure to have you here and may Perfect Pooch become a national sensation. It would be really nice to have more souls like you who care and make efforts to help others.
Thank you so much.

Sanam Rabadi: Thanks to you too.

Website: www.perfectpooch.co.in