P. Shyma with some of the rescued dogs sheltered at her rented house at Badiroor in Kozhikode, Keralam.
| Photo Credit: K. RAGESH
People have long kept pets at home for companionship, but for some, their bond with animals becomes a way of life. For P. Shyma, an animal lover from Kerala, home is wherever she lives with dozens of rescued dogs and cats, many of them strays or abandoned, whom she considers her own children.
Visitors entering the compound of the secluded rented house at Badiroor in Kakkodi grama panchayat in Kozhikode are greeted by the chorus of most of the 46 dogs sheltered there barking.
“Ambu, stop!” Ms. Shyma says as she cuddles a Pomeranian. “I have named every one of them. They only bark; they won’t bite,” the 52-year-old tells visitors as she opens some of the kennels.
P. Shyma with some of the rescued dogs sheltered at her rented house at Badiroor in Kozhikode, Keralam.
| Photo Credit:
K. RAGESH
Among the dogs that have found a haven at the house are paralysed and injured canines hit by trains, amputees, and others undergoing treatment for tumours. The house is also a refuge for 42 cats.
Over the past 19 years, Ms. Shyma has rescued hundreds of dogs and cats, responding to calls about injured, sick or abandoned pets as well as picking up animals she encounters on the streets. She was forced to shift twice following complaints from neighbours about the noise and smell.
A native of West Hill in Kozhikode Corporation limits, she first moved to Malikadavu, where she lived with her pets for six years, before shifting to Badiroor a couple of months ago. She now pays ₹9,000 a month in rent.
“I have to house them, feed them, bathe them and take care of their medical needs. Many people may wonder what I get in return. But for me, they are just like my two children, and I adore them,” she says.
Inspired by her mother
Her love for animals was nurtured by her mother, whom she considers her “inspiration”. She eventually quit a temporary government job to dedicate her life to caring for street and abandoned animals.
“We had a Pomeranian at home. One day, some food got stuck in its throat. The dog ran outside, and people mistook it for a rabid one and killed it. It was a huge shock. The cruelty towards animals only strengthened my resolve over the years, and I decided to dedicate my life to caring for them,” says Ms. Shyama, who is the district president of People for Animals (PFA).
Her son, who works in a private firm and lives with her, helps support her. She also receives assistance from a few others.
Her husband, K. Janardhanan, who undergoes dialysis every alternate day, lives at their family home at West Hill, where he feeds eight stray dogs.
P. Shyma with her pets at her rented house in Kozhikode
| Video Credit:
Sam Paul A.
Ms. Shyama says the authorities, especially the Kozhikode Corporation, should identify land for shelters for stray dogs. “Land is the biggest issue. If land is provided, we are ready to establish and operate shelters,” she says.
Kozhikode Corporation veterinary officer V.S. Sreeshma says the civic body is in the process of inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) from individuals and organisations willing to establish and operate shelters for street dogs as part of its efforts to find a lasting solution to the stray dog problem within the city limits.
“The Corporation is looking to animal lovers and NGOs for their cooperation,” Dr. Sreeshma told The Hindu.
Published – August 21, 2026 03:14 pm IST
