Our Story
The Beginning : Queen Micah
Our lives changed in 2017 on a February morning, when Micah entered our world. It took just a day for her to let us know that she was the queen and the center of our universe. As first-time dog parents, we had a lot to learn about raising a pup and meeting her needs, especially since Micah was not an easy pup. But as we navigated the challenges, we found that we loved her more than we could have imagined and were happy to revolve our lives around her. Micah's magnetic personality drew in our friends, even those who weren't previously dog lovers, and she inspired many to bring home their first furry companion. It's safe to say that without Queen Micah, we wouldn't be the people we are today.
Micah & Mochi’s friendship
When Micah was just 7 months old, her world was about to get a little bigger. During one of our morning walks, we came across a street dog, this beautiful hazel eyed, small sized, opinionated, hyper dog who greeted us with growls, hisses and snarls during our first two meetings. We decided to name him Mochi after an amusing incident where he happened to pee on a shoe wear brand cover that was labeled “Mochi”. He was in the “ I want to be friends with you but on my own terms" mode, so we persevered and took a break of a week before the next meeting to give him space to process our presence.
To everyone's surprise, Mochi was waiting for us 100 meters away from our apartment when we returned. Over the next month, we started to feed Mochi and were soon introduced to two of Mochi's besties, Pinky and Pooja. Mochi would turn up for friendship more than for food, and Micah couldn't be happier to have found her best friend. Micah even began waking up early on some days so she could spend more time with Mochi. Their friendship grew so strong that we moved homes to be closer to where they could meet multiple times a day, as their friendship had become too important to us.
Growing Street Dog Family
In the beginning of 2018, we met three more street dogs - Mukku, Brownie and Oldie - and our street dog family began to grow. The journey has been no short of amazing. This was the beginning of everything. They became an integral part of our lives, and we eagerly anticipated seeing them every day. It all started with these six - our friends, our streetie kids, and our protectors - Mochi, Pinky, Pooja, Mukku, Brownie, and Oldie.
Sniper Adopts us
In September 2018, our family grew when we were adopted by Sniper, our tiny tot who used to live on the streets with his siblings and mum. We became a four-member unit dedicated to advocating for dog rights. Sniper and his siblings were born to Sundari, a remarkable street dog who was being fostered by a kind caretaker named Sanidhi who is now a dear friend. It was Sanidhi's Facebook post about their adoption that introduced us to Sniper, and we are forever grateful to her. Sniper has become an integral part of our family, effortlessly entertaining us, bringing joy and teaching us to slow down and empathize with dogs.
Covid Years
Sadly, in 2020, we had to bid farewell to Oldie, our eldest street dog, and in 2021, we lost Pinky and Mochi. These past two years, as COVID-19 ravaged the world, we faced the harsh reality of caring for dogs with health issues, which compelled us to raise funds for emergency medical cases. Losing our first streetie babies was devastating, and we were on the verge of quitting feeding and taking care of street dogs. However, after taking a much-needed break and reflecting on our purpose, we found the strength to keep going. We owe it to Micah, Sniper, and our streetie kids who continue to inspire and motivate us with their consistent love. We are still mourning their loss in our own ways, and we know that time cannot fill the void left by their absence.
Hashtag to Merch Store
The term Street Dogs Are Family Too was initially used as a hashtag #streetdogsarefamilytoo in 2019 to share posts about our street dogs, their adorable behavior, our feeding routine, and the strong bond between Micah, Sniper, and their street dog friends. In 2020, we were encouraged by some friends to start an Instagram page where we could share similar videos with friends and followers. Slowly, our tribe of street dog lovers began to grow.
In 2021, when we faced difficult medical conditions with our street dogs, we were overwhelmed by the vet bills that exceeded our income. This inspired us to start something that could help us financially during such situations while pursuing our interest in entrepreneurship. And so, on February 3rd, 2022, we launched the SDAFT Merch Store.
A Family United By Love
Today, we are a big family that started with Micah introducing us to the wonderful street dogs. We have learned to love, respect, enjoy, miss, and eagerly anticipate each other's company. We are grateful every day for all the dogs who have touched our hearts and those who have taken a part of our hearts with them.