“We met at a vet’s clinic in Chennai. Back in 2019, I was working for another veterinarian and Adi used to bring his dog, Bailey, there. He later reached out, and we stareted talking. Both of us grew up in Chennai, so there was a lot of shared ground. Coincidentally, our favourite Chinese restaurant was the same — Kim Ling in Anna Nagar. Our love for animals and travel helped get along. I think that’s what made it so effortless.

Both of us were raised in Chennai. I did my undergrad in Pondicherry. I have 7 rescue dogs at my parents’ place, so I’d take the bus back every weekend just to come see them.

And once we met, the city became even more special. It’s where we fell in love, got married, and built our first home – a home we now share with three cats and a dog. Between our home, our parents’ homes and the clinic, we take care of over 20 dogs and cats.

We’re not just pet parents — we’re a team that runs a veterinary clinic (Dr. Sathya’s Veterinary Clinic) . I’ve always been in this field and I can’t remember wanting to be anyone other than a Veterinarian. Adi ran his own Digital Marketing agency (Hashtag Inc) for 9 years and recently exited it to join the clinic management full-time. It was a huge shift, but it felt right. He has always been drawn to purpose-driven work, and now, we get to do it together.

We’ve been married for three years now, and like most couples at this stage, we get asked when we’re planning to have kids. But honestly, we’re genuinely happy with the life we have right now — with our dog, and our cats. For us, they are our family.

Our dog, Kufri, is our child in every way that matters. We love watching him grow, celebrating his birthdays, taking him on little adventures, and just being there for every milestone. Because the hardest part about having a dog is knowing that they don’t live as long as we do. So we make it a point to be present — to celebrate every year, every small joy, every memory we can make with him.

If someone’s thinking about becoming a pet parent and you are unsure, my advice would be to start by fostering. Try it out with a cat or a dog if you have the time and space. If it works, it’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. And even if it doesn’t, you’ve still made a difference in that animal’s life. Because being a pet parent is a commitment — but if you’re ready for it, it’s truly the best thing that can happen to you.

Somewhere between running the clinic and building a life filled with fur, laughter, and long workdays, we realised this is the life we want. It’s messy, joyful, unpredictable, and deeply rooted in Madras – the place that gave us each other, our work, and our ever-growing family of four-legged children.”