On World Animal Day, Soha Ali Khan shared a side of her childhood that many city kids would not expect. Her first connection with an animal, she told Hindustan Times, was not a dog or a cat. It was a little mouse that lived in her bedroom.
A childhood among animals
Growing up between Bhopal and Pataudi, Soha spent time around farm animals. At the family home in Delhi, she said, lizards and mice were simply part of the house. Where today’s city children might panic, she was comfortable sharing her room with a mouse.
Her time in the wild with family shaped a lifelong respect. She learned early that animals were not there for entertainment. In her words, “They just existed and we didn’t need to interact excessively with them.”
The pet lesson Tiger Pataudi wanted to pass on
Soha’s father, Tiger Pataudi, believed every child should grow up with a pet. The household always had dogs, and the reason was bigger than companionship. Losing a pet, she said, teaches a child to deal with grief because we inevitably outlive our pets. That, she said, is an important life lesson.
That lesson became real when Masti, Kunal Kemmu’s dog, passed away. It was hard for both of them, but especially for daughter Inaaya, who faced the finality of death for the first time. Kunal later got a tattoo of Masti, something Soha found touching. A tattoo is permanent, and it meant a deep bond would stay with him forever.
Oreo, the family’s four-legged mood reader
Now the family’s dog is Oreo. Soha says animals pick up on tone, body language, energy and changes in routine. If she and Kunal disagree, Oreo starts barking and tries to bring the tone down. He goes to whoever seems low, licks an ear or rests his head on them. “He’s like a therapy dog,” Soha said.
Inaaya has also taken on real responsibility. She keeps Oreo away from too many treats and human food. She instructs friends on how to handle him, and she does not carry him like a soft toy. Soha says Inaaya understands that a dog’s spine is different from ours and that Oreo is a living being.
What animal lovers can take from it
- Let children experience the joy and grief of a pet; both are part of the bond.
- Give pets clear boundaries and read their body language before approaching.
- Treat animals as living beings, not toys or entertainment.
For Soha, the animal that still fascinates her most is the elephant. On a trip to South Africa, she watched mothers protect their babies and saw how they flap their ears when angry. It was terrifying, she said, but also a reminder of how intelligent and bonded these animals can be when observed from a respectful distance.
Source: Hindustan Times
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