WHO: Meena Kumar, 15
WHAT: Started a business so she could donate money to help senior dogs find homes
Tenth-grader Meena Kumar has always had a very special bond with animals—especially those in need of homes.
When Meena was 9 months old, she was left in a basket at a college in India. She spent the next year in an orphanage. When she was 2, she was adopted and moved to San Jose, California.
While Meena was growing up, her family took regular trips to an animal shelter to play with the critters. When she was 8, Meena adopted a dog from the shelter.
Later, Meena met a neighbor who had adopted a senior dog from an organization called Muttville in nearby San Francisco. The group’s mission is to find homes for older dogs, which are not adopted as often as younger, sometimes healthier animals—and are therefore at greater risk of being put down. Meena was inspired to help.
In 2015, she started her own pet-sitting business called Pet Fairy Services. She donates all of her earnings to Muttville. So far, Meena has donated more than $7,000. (Her father’s company kicked in $7,000 for a total donation of more than $14,000.)
“It feels great to know that I’ve saved many dogs’ lives and given them another chance to enjoy life for their last years,” Meena has said. “I feel like all dogs should get a forever home just like I did.”