A long list of degrees tag her name. She was even offered the position of a lecturer at a college. But, nine hours at work would mean nine hours away from her ‘children’. “So I decided not to work,” Sujatha said. And the 35year-old also decided to remain a spinster. The reason: “Rearing cats and dogs in our community (Goundar) is a taboo and my grandparents never stepped into our house because they despised them. My parents were supportive, but keeping them at home after marriage would be impossible,” says Sujatha.
She said her interest in these animals started at the age of 7 and she flicked money from home to get kittens and pups from her friends. “Later I started to pick animals on streets, old, sick and disabled seeking attention. Vets from Chennai and Mettupalayam make periodical visits and ensure their well being,” she says.
“After moving into the new house nine months ago, I have had two attendants to help me with the two sheds, 7 cents dedicated for the cats and 10 cents for dogs. The first two months at the new house was terrible, for about 90 cats died of cat pneumonia.
It was then that I stopped counting. Counting is superstitious and I fear they would die,” says Sujatha.
“A separate kitchen has been set up to prepare fish and milk for the animals.
The monthly expenses to feed them is between Rs 17,000 to Rs 20,000,” says Sujatha.
Her father, cine producer and location consultant Jyothi Raja, supports her financially.
Besides her immense love for cats and dogs, the Indian bow snake was something she had fancied for and wanted to get it from snake catcher ‘pambu’ Parthsarathy. “But I was not allowed to keep snakes. Earlier I had a deer, mongoose and a monitor lizard,” she said.