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A pet parent to two cats, Charles and Edward, Elli AvrRam has now virtually adopted Toby, a five-year-old rescue dog in Gurgaon. Unable to bring a dog home because of her work commitments and frequent travel, she has instead committed to financially supporting Toby’s care.

Speaking about what prompted the decision, Elli says, “I have been supporting Funandfur , an animal welfare NGO, for years. When its founder, Vaishali Sharma, reached out to me about Toby, I immediately knew I wanted to become his virtual parent. She had only asked me to share his story on social media, but I’m not in a position to adopt a dog right now. So, this felt like the perfect first step.”

She believes pet parenting is a lifelong commitment that demands time, care and consistency. She says, “Growing up in Sweden, I often looked after my neighbours’ dogs, taking them for walks and feeding them. I always dreamt of having a dog of my own, but it never happened. Having a dog is a huge responsibility. They depend on you completely, so you have to be able to give them your time and care. Travelling also becomes difficult unless you have someone trustworthy to look after them round the clock. It’s a commitment that deserves careful thought. In my case, virtual adoption has allowed me to support Toby financially and help give him a much better life than he would have had on the streets. At the same time, it feels incredibly personal because I’ll receive regular updates, be able to video call him and visit him whenever I can. This initiative helps more injured and abandoned dogs get rescued, treated and cared for.”

She plans to visit Toby in Gurgaon this August. She says, “We’ve already been video calling, and he’s so full of life. I can’t wait to finally meet him, spend time with him and give him lots of cuddles.”