I have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions during this pandemic — from a fear of illness, of loss, of financial decline, and of newly married life to having no idea of how to cook my own food and coping with an extreme change in our lifestyle. I realised that what made it harder to cope was me withholding my feelings. While spending time with Joy, my two-year-old dog, I realised that unlike me, he feels every emotion to its fullest. Experiencing every fear and every uncertainty allows him to process his feelings and then overcome them. For instance, he is terrified of sirens — when he hears one, he immediately dives under the couch and emerges only when the noise subsides. After that, he moves on. Joy has taught me that it's okay for me to be anxious sometimes.

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Pratha Narang, photographer

I was very dismayed to find that, even during the lockdown, many pet parents refused to walk their dogs themselves, relying instead on domestic help or not walking their dogs at all. I firmly believe that there's nothing worse than dog owners who don't care for their dogs. Taking my dogs — Peter and Mary — for walks was my only respite during the lockdown. In fact, even when the curfew was at its strictest, we spoke with the authorities and ensured that our dogs never missed a walk. I would often wake up at 4.30 am to beat the curfew. I'm glad we did that because it gave us a much-needed break from all the fear-mongering that has become so rampant during the pandemic. As a dog lover, I've always preferred the company of my dogs to other human beings. If anything, the lockdown has only reinforced my desire to spend all my time with them!

Cyrus Broacha, television personality

I am blessed to have Ginger in my family and am constantly amazed by how he seems to understand exactly what we are going through. From calming me down when the lockdown became stressful, to his ever-present enthusiasm, Ginger has taught us how to be selfless and to look inwards when external inspirations are lacking — throughout the lockdown, Ginger has selflessly engaged with each family member. His behaviour has remained unaffected. This has helped us realise that we can decide to not let ourselves be affected by external factors and this lets us be in control of our emotions. In that, we can choose to be happy.

Dr Aamod Rao, cosmetic surgeon

I lost both my dogs this year — one in January and the other in June. However, during the lockdown, I fostered Blossom who brought cheer during my toughest days. In addition to giving me a routine, the joy she experiences from being in a secure and loving home is contagious. The loss of my dogs took a toll on me emotionally — but Blossom kept me happy and energised. She bonded with me in no time and is now a constant source of happiness. She has inspired me to foster more animals. From Blossom, I have learnt the value of unconditional love and of being grateful for the simple joys we are blessed with.

Eijaz Khan, actor

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