Double Duty Heroes At Earthlings Trust Rewrite the Story for Street Dogs

The journey of Earthlings Trust began during the founders’ college days between 2009 and 2010, when Sagarika and Ditej started feeding campus dogs and arranging their vaccinations and sterilisations. Their limited resources meant seeking help from existing NGOs, an experience that revealed a stark reality: animal welfare infrastructure was woefully inadequate.

Committed to making a difference, Sagarika pursued her PhD in Cancer Research from Jawaharlal Nehru University, while Ditej established a career in Internal Audit at a Big4 firm. Their personal commitment to animal welfare grew alongside their professional achievements, with the couple adopting six rescued dogs.

In December 2018, Earthlings Trust was formally established. By leasing land in Noida and taking a personal loan immediately after repaying their student debts, they created a sanctuary for their first two residents – motherless puppies named Paalak and Methi, inspired by the vegetables growing near their shelter.

What Earthlings Trust has come to be?

Today, Earthlings Trust is home to over 400 permanent dogs who have been abandoned, are sick, handicapped, paralysed, or blind. The organisation employs 20 workers and collaborates with major veterinary hospitals and diagnostic labs across Delhi NCR, providing free or subsidised healthcare to approximately 1,000 dogs annually.

But there was a time when their resilience was truly tested. It was on 12 July 2023 when the Yamuna River floods threatened their entire operation. In a display of dedication, Ditej and Sagarika rescued over 350 dogs within 18 hours, working tirelessly from 6:30 PM to 10 AM the next morning. Despite losing nine dogs and having 17 go missing, they refused to give up.

Within two months of the devastating flood, the couple leased a new shelter in Sector 81, Noida – a location safer, more accessible, and further from potential natural disasters. They invested over INR 80 lacs to ensure their dogs’ security, never compromising for their four-legged family.

They are currently in the works of purchasing land near Chandigarh to create a permanent sanctuary. This ambitious project intends to provide a forever home for animals, free from the uncertainties of temporary shelters.

Why support Earthlings Trust?

With the best recovery rates in Delhi NCR, Earthlings Trust provides high-quality, often free medical treatments. Moreover, they are one of the few NGOs where founders continue to work full-time while managing the shelter.

Sagarika and Ditej’s vision with ET isn’t just centred around the survival of the dogs. They are creating a caring environment where all dogs, no matter their condition, are treated with respect, given care, and given a chance at a better life.