While it’s common to see people adopting stray dogs or cats, rarely do rodents find a place in human homes as pets. Yet in a heartwarming story from Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi, a family has gone against the norm by adopting a squirrel and giving it a second chance at life.
A resident of the coastal city, Sri Damayanthi, has opened her home and heart to a squirrel named ‘Pachai Baccha’, after rescuing it from her garden.
“He fell from a tree in our garden. We took care of him, gave him milk through an ink filler. Slowly, his health improved, and now he has become our house pet. He eats with us, sleeps with us, and plays with us. He goes out and comes back home later. We have named him Pachai Baccha,” Damayanthi told media.
This unusual adoption reflects an emerging sense of compassion for all forms of life, not just traditional pets.
In another shining example from Chennai, a couple—Sudarson and Vithiya—have dedicated over 15 years of their lives to feeding birds on the terrace of their home. Their rooftop has turned into a haven for parrots, pigeons, doves, and sparrows, drawing attention from celebrities and foreign visitors alike.
“My parrots call me Sudarson. We’ve been feeding birds here for the past 16 years. It started after my father passed away. One day I went to the terrace and saw hungry parrots looking for food. With more than 10,000 trees cut in the city, birds had no place for shelter or food. I started placing food for them every morning and evening, and slowly more birds began to arrive,” said Sudarson.
He also shared insights into their dietary preferences:
“We initially gave them sunflower seeds, but our South Indian rose-ringed parrots don’t eat them. Now, we give them raw groundnuts, soaked rice, and seasonal fruits. We cook this fresh every day.”
These stories from Tamil Nadu highlight the extraordinary empathy of ordinary citizens, who are creating safe spaces for animals in urban landscapes and demonstrating that kindness has no species barrier.