A woman who saved five dogs while on holiday has revealed that it’s cost her over £20,000 – but says the money doesn’t matter as they’re her best friends.
When Monica Kumar visited her mum’s hometown in India, she hoped to leave the trip with a sense of enrichment about her past – but she came away with a lot more than that.
The 27-year-old came across a black puppy, whose bones were protruding and instantly, she felt compelled to help and take care of him.
As she and her mum, Jody, began feeding the mutt, others began coming over in search of food – and now, she’s brought three out of five stray pups back with her to the US as part of their rescue mission.
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Though, it’s not come without its complications – with the digital merchandiser claiming she nearly had to pay an eye-watering £24,000 bill just to let them in the country.
“I made sure I had everything to get them into the country – vaccinations, microchipping and pet passports – but that wasn’t enough,” Monica, from New Jersey, US, told What’sTheJam.com.
“I spent around £8,000 on them for this alone, for us to be told that three of the pups, Dolly, Tiger and Maxi, were only allowed to board with us, with Lily and Raja not allowed.
“We accepted this and asked for them to come over at a later date, but then as we got the US, customs insisted that we had to quarantine all the dogs – with a huge bill.
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“It was hours of tension and confusion, but luckily, it was a mix-up and they were allowed home with us at no extra cost.”
Monica, who came across the pups while on the streets of Delhi, India, felt a strong urge to save them from their tough lives.
“I couldn’t ignore their struggles and no dog should be abandoned.
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“I wanted to make a difference, so each night, we fed Tiger and his family, and our bond quickly deepened.
“It’s so busy over there and with so many dangers.
“They had injuries, such as hip dysplasia, ticks and maggots, so I cleaned them up and got urgent veterinary care to make sure they were healthy.”
Monica’s first rescue, Ginni, a Tibetan mastiff and Indian Pariah cross welcomed her new family members in with lots of excitement, and the other Indian Pariah and Labrador mixes adapted to their new lives.
As she was unable to keep all of them, she put them up for adoption and Dolly went to live with Monica’s parents, but still currently has Tiger and Maxi living with her.
Lily and Raja, who are still in India, are safe in a rescue centre, with Monica regularly receiving videos of them – but she’s still on the hunt for their potential new owners.
Monica added: “It’s been a testament to the power of my compassion for animals, as I’ve broken down so many barriers just to get them here.
“I wish I could save all the stray dogs, but I don’t think I have enough room – or money.
“I wanted to provide them with the love and care they deserved.
“From being injured and starving to now being someone’s best companion.
“Dogs are incredible and I’m so glad to have saved my little pack.”
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