Our Services
NalamWhere every animal is finally known
In Tamil, Nalam means wellbeing. It is a quiet word for something enormous: the first safe night's sleep an abandoned dog has ever had. The first morning a cat who knew only alleys wakes up somewhere she is recognised, fed and accounted for. At Nalam, wellbeing is not a program. It is nearly two acres of land, hundreds of residents and a staff that knows every single one of them by name — or at least by face.
For dogs who have run out of road
Some arrive still raw from injury. Some are so old they have forgotten what rest feels like. Others are abandoned pets — house dogs who ended up on streets they were never built for. Whatever brought them here, they find the same thing at Nalam: nearly 2 acres of clean, safe, thoughtfully managed space where they are no longer anonymous.
The enclosures are designed around the dogs who use them — not around what is cheapest or simplest to build. Some need ventilation and visibility. Some need calm and separation. Some need a setup that works around a body that does not work the way it once did.
- •Metal-fenced enclosures — solid and durable, easy for staff to supervise, impossible for a dog to feel forgotten inside
- •Mesh-fenced areas — open enough for air and light, enclosed enough for safety; dogs can see the world without being at its mercy
- •Dedicated housing for paraplegic dogs — layouts and daily routines built around dogs whose bodies need more support, not less care
- •Senior sections — for dogs who spent years on the street and deserve to spend their last ones somewhere quiet, regular and kind
- •A home for abandoned pets — surrendered or lost dogs who cannot survive street life are given stability and the chance to live with dignity
For cats who need more than a corner
Cats do not just need a safe place to sit. They need to climb, observe, choose their distance. A cat who has spent her life in alleys does not instantly relax indoors — she needs space that moves with her on her terms.
Our cat housing areas are built around those instincts. And behind every enclosure is a record — in VetBuddy, our digital management system — that tracks each resident's medical history, vaccinations, feeding requirements and shelter placement. At Nalam, no cat is a number.
- •Aviary-style enclosures — open, multi-level spaces where cats can climb and explore in fresh air and natural light without exposure to hazard
- •Multi-level cat huts — elevated resting and observation areas designed around the way cats actually choose to spend their time
- •Dedicated housing for paraplegic cats — adapted setups so cats with mobility challenges can move, be cared for and live without distress
- •Senior sections — quieter spaces with closer monitoring and the gentler pace that older cats need
- •Permanent home for abandoned pet cats — for cats surrendered or lost, who have no path back to street life, Nalam is simply where they live now
At a Glance
- •Nearly 2 acres of shelter space
- •Dedicated housing for dogs and cats
- •Sections for senior animals
- •Dedicated areas for paraplegic animals
- •Safe shelter for abandoned pets
- •Daily cleaning and hygiene care
- •Individual animal records via VetBuddy
Built for the animals who live here
The shelter was not assembled from what was convenient. Every structural choice was made with Chennai's climate and the comfort of its residents in mind. The roofs are built from palm fronds — a traditional material, sustainable and effective. They keep the enclosures cool through the city's long, relentless summers and shed rain without complaint during the monsoon.
The frames rest on cement pillars. They hold steady in high winds. They do not flex or shift when a storm comes through. The animals inside stay where they are: dry, shaded and undisturbed.
The result is a shelter that is practical, naturally cool and built to last — an environment where the structure itself does part of the caring.
Where the community comes to celebrate
Nalam's animals are not kept at arm's length from the people who care about them. Each year, two events bring the wider community into the shelter — not to inspect, but to celebrate.
Kukur Tihar draws its spirit from the Nepalese tradition that sets aside a day to honour dogs. At Nalam, it becomes something personal: a recognition of the loyalty, friendship and unconditional love that every dog in this shelter has offered, often to people who were not always kind in return. It is a day that turns the usual story around.
Cat Christmas celebrates the feline residents in all their individual, opinionated, quietly affectionate complexity. Every cat here has a personality. Cat Christmas is the day the shelter reminds the world of that.
These are not PR events. They are a reminder — for the community and for the animals — that the residents of Nalam are not wards of a facility. They are members of something.
Nalam is not simply a place where animals are housed. It is a community built around love, companionship and respect for every life. Every kennel, every enclosure and every shelter structure exists for one purpose: to ensure that every animal entrusted to our care can live in safety, comfort and dignity.
Your support keeps the kennels clean, the meals coming and the quiet voices patient.