That philosophy was visible throughout Saturday’s meet. The Nairs had travelled all the way from Bangalore for the second time — this time to welcome their second Goodest rescue into the family. Their first adoption, Phoebe, an affectionate rescue Labrador, came along too, weaving through the afternoon like an unofficial committee member whose approval clearly mattered.
The team spent hours thoughtfully introducing the family to dogs shortlisted based on lifestyle, temperament and routine. There was no pressure, no rushed decisions and no chaotic adoption-drive atmosphere. Instead, people sat in the cafe, spent time with the dogs, asked questions and slowly formed connections. “We’ve consciously stayed away from large adoption drives because I never wanted the experience to feel transactional or overwhelming,” Bhavna says. “I want people to genuinely spend time with the animals and connect before making such a big decision.”
And then came Sophie.
A goofy, energetic rescue Golden Retriever with boundless enthusiasm, Sophie burst into the afternoon with the kind of happy chaos that instantly shifts the mood of a room. The Nairs fell for her almost immediately—her spirit, her playfulness and her wildly affectionate energy. In many ways, it felt as though Sophie chose them just as much as they chose her.
Moments like these are exactly why Bhavna believes rescue animals deserve to be seen differently. “People sometimes assume rescue dogs are damaged or difficult because of what they’ve been through,” she says. “But so many of them are incredibly loving, resilient and emotionally intuitive.”
Today, Chennai’s adoption culture is slowly evolving too. Bhavna has noticed younger families and first-time pet parents becoming far more open to conscious, adoption-led pet parenting. Social media, she says, has helped shift perceptions around rescue animals and encouraged people to see adoption not as compromise, but as connection.
And perhaps that’s what Goodest does best. Beyond finding homes, it creates relationships. “I feel like there’s a ‘goodest’ side in all of us,” Bhavna says softly. “The softer, kinder, more compassionate side that wants to help and care for others.”
On Saturday afternoon, somewhere between the tail wags, the laughter and Sophie finding her forever family, that feeling was impossible to miss.
Love at first woof
