About
| Resource Specialization | Global Health |
| Region Specialization | India |
| International Experience(s) | University of Hawaiʻi, Manoa (2023) |
| Hometown | Bengaluru, India |
As I pursue a career in shelter medicine, I now recognize that my role will not simply care for animals but rather acknowledge how human health, equity, and pet welfare all intersect.
Why did you choose the GRS specialization that you did?
Growing up in India, a country home to 40 million stray dogs, I have always been passionate about caring for community animals and improving their welfare. However, during my gap year, my interests widened while volunteering in Galle, Sri Lanka for four months. While assisting at a rabies vaccination drive, I had the chance to interact with local communities. I learned how high stray dog populations can harm human health through dog bites and rabies transmission. I also learnt about the emotional attachment many have to community animals. It is clear to me that animal welfare is not an isolated issue and intersects with social equity and human health and disease. I want to help find connections between these realms and implement solutions that will help improve the well-being of both humans and animals alike.
What have you learned from your volunteer experiences?
My Volunteer Experience at the BC SPCA Charlie’s Pet Food Bank:
For the past term, I have volunteered the Charlie’s Pet Food Bank. This initiative, run by the BC SPCA supports underserved pet owners with food, resources, and veterinary assistance for their animals.
My Thursdays mornings are now the highlight of my week. Not only do I get to cuddle lots of puppies, kittens (and sometimes rats!), but I also have been able to form meaningful connections with their owners. In listening to their stories, I have realized how connected animal welfare is to social inequities and vulnerability. This is clear in the context of housing security, where low-income pet owners may struggle to find animal-friendly SROs. I have also seen how some clients at Charlie’s struggle to access veterinary clinics due to a disability or lack of a phone number or address.
As I pursue a career in shelter medicine, I now recognize that my role will not simply care for animals but rather acknowledge how human health, equity, and pet welfare all intersect. I am so grateful to have my Thursdays at Charlie’s to connect with community, listen to stories, and begin to understand animal welfare as One Health, intersectional issue.
What do you like best about the GRS program?
I love the sense of true care and empathy that all GRSers bring to our Wednesday meetings. Everyone seems to constantly be checking in on each other, whether it is asking about how school is going, seeing if they need support with their mental health, or sharing a snack (Roxana- thank you for all the granola bars and apples! <3) When engaging with the GRS community, I feel like I can truly prioritize learning over output, care over competition, and connecting with people around me.