He came in on a Tuesday morning. No name, no owner, no history — just a dog in pain, carried in by a stranger who had found him on the roadside and refused to keep walking. That stranger saved Raja’s life before we even had the chance to.
What our team saw when they first examined him stopped them cold. The tumour was large, aggressive, and had been growing untreated for what appeared to be months. In most facilities, this would have been the end of the conversation. At Vaikuntha, it was only the beginning.
The Diagnosis
Dr. Ashish Yadav, our Chief Veterinarian, assessed Raja within the hour. The findings were serious — the tumour had grown to a size that made immediate surgery the only viable path. There was no conservative treatment option. There was no waiting and watching. The window to act was narrow, and it was closing.
Surgery was scheduled for the following morning.
That night, Raja was kept under observation. He was given pain relief, fluids, and something he likely hadn’t experienced in a long time — a warm space and the sound of people nearby who were actively trying to keep him alive.
No animal should ever be denied care, love, or life because of lack of space, money, or resources.
— Silky Juneja Chopra, Founder
The Operation
The surgery lasted several hours. Our surgical team worked with precision — every decision made carefully, every complication anticipated and managed. The tumour was successfully removed. When Raja came out of anaesthesia, still groggy, still fragile, the relief in the room was palpable.
The hard part, though, was still ahead.
72 Hours of Post-Operative Care
The first 72 hours after a surgery of this scale are the most critical. A dog’s body, already weakened by weeks of carrying an untreated growth, has to find the resources to begin healing. Our team worked in overlapping shifts — monitoring Raja’s temperature, managing his pain, keeping his wound clean, coaxing him to eat.
He didn’t eat on the first day. He barely lifted his head.
By the second day, he accepted water from a bowl held close to him. By the third, he ate — cautiously, carefully, as if he wasn’t quite sure he was allowed to. That small act felt enormous to everyone watching.
The Recovery
Week by week, Raja changed. The hollow look in his eyes gave way to something else — alertness, then curiosity, then what could only be described as personality. He began to notice when familiar caregivers entered the room. He started to wag his tail. Tentatively at first, then with conviction.
He was becoming himself. Whoever that was before the streets, before the tumour, before the pain — that dog was still in there. He just needed someone to wait for him.
Why Stories Like Raja’s Happen Here
Raja’s story is not exceptional at Vaikuntha. It is Tuesday. It is what happens here on an ordinary morning, when an ordinary stranger decides not to walk past.
Since our founding, we have never turned away an animal because of the severity of their condition. Not once. Not Raja, not Rani, not the paralysed bull who arrived unable to stand, not the dog with maggot wounds so severe that our team had to work for hours before they could even assess the damage underneath.
Every one of them received the same answer when they arrived: yes. Come in. We’ve got you.
Every rescue is a world of its own. Behind every statistic is a name, a story, and a team that showed up — no matter what.
— Vaikuntha Animal Wellness Centre
Raja Today
Raja is currently in post-operative recovery at our facility in Noida. His wound is healing well. He is eating properly, moving around his space with increasing confidence, and — according to the team member who has been with him since day one — developing a distinct fondness for having his ears scratched.
We expect a full recovery. When he is ready, he will be released safely. Until then, he stays with us. That is not a burden. That is the whole point.
How You Can Help
Stories like Raja’s are only possible because of people who care enough to act. Vaikuntha runs entirely on donations — no government funding, no corporate backing, no overhead. Every rupee goes directly to the animals.
If you would like to support Raja’s ongoing recovery and the care of every animal like him, you can donate directly through our website. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference that is real and immediate.
And if you have spotted an injured or distressed animal in Noida or the surrounding areas — call us. Right now. Do not wait.
- +91 93108 23209
- +91 93103 97064
They cannot ask for help. But you can give it.