In fact, it’s an age-related cliché that once we reach our golden years, we tend to wake up very early. This can happen for many different reasons.
But a 90-year-old grandmother, and a late-life dog lover, made it her mission to wake up every morning at 4:30 a.m. to cook for the more than 120 feral dogs that reside at her granddaughter’s shelter. .
For most of his life, Kanak was not a big fan of dogs. In fact, she was completely convinced that nothing could change her mind. But what she didn’t anticipate was how she would feel when her niece, Sana, brought home a puppy. Within just a few short days of meeting and living with Coco, Kanak had a complete change of heart.
Suddenly, she found herself staring at him and thinking about how adorable he was, which really shocked her. She would watch him eat, sleep, and play, and before she knew it, she was in love from start to finish.
“Then I just like to feed it and play with it. He became such an important part of my life during the years I started and ended with him! He was right next to me when I cut the cake for my 90th birthday. But you know, my feelings for Coco don’t stop there; I started to like all the dogs,” said Kanak.
Then, about two years ago, Sana was deeply affected by the loss of a local stray dog she loved. In fact, the loss of the stray had such an impact that she decided she wanted to start a shelter of her own.
“If only I had taken care of him, he would still be alive today,” she said.
So a few weeks later, at a location near their shared home, Sanak opened a shelter for stray dogs. There, she cared for them and arranged for medical care when needed. Because of her age, Kanak doesn’t visit often, preferring instead to live vicariously through Sana. Even so, she will be heartbroken to hear about their hurt, their abandonment, and their need for love, care, and good food.
After hearing about the strays for a while, Kanak decided she wanted to cook for them. So she started waking up at 4:30 every morning, spending hours cooking meals for homeless children. For two years, she continued to cook and Sana would come home and show her pictures of the pups enjoying their homemade meals. She loved watching them enjoy her food, but her heart still ached.
So one day last month, she decided to go to the shelter herself. Since last year when she broke a bone, Kanak has been using a walker to get around, but she hasn’t let that stop her! Although the walk to the shelter was challenging, it was well worth it when she was able to meet the baby mice. She was overjoyed to be able to feed the dogs with her own hands, and to see their happy wagging tails.
