On a flight from Zurich to Mumbai in October 2025, flight attendant Karin struck up a conversation with her colleague Perpetual. Based in Mumbai, Perpetual works as a SWISS Cabin Crew Member and volunteers in her spare time to help stray dogs and cats in the city. She helps them receive medical care and find new homes. Karin told her about a dog she had first met in July 2025 during a layover in Mumbai, when she was returning to the crew hotel after dinner with the crew. The dog happily ran toward the group and was later given the name Leela.

From then on, Karin kept seeing Leela during her stays in Mumbai. The dog lived around the crew hotel, near a gas station, and regularly had puppies that were repeatedly taken away from her. Karin couldn’t get Leela out of her mind. She asked Perpetual for help, but at the time, Perpetual was still dealing with an emergency involving another animal.

Leela needs help
In March 2026, Perpetual found the dog near the gas station behind the crew hotel. The staff at the gas station fed Leela, but no one was really looking after her. At first, Perpetual only found the puppies. When she returned to the gas station after another flight rotation, they had disappeared as well. “Leela was very sick at the time and had a severe skin infection. She had a fever and at least 100 to 200 ticks on her body,” Perpetual explains. She then took Leela to two different animal rescue centers, where she was examined and treated. Due to her condition, she had to stay there for a month to allow her wounds to heal.

Karin continued to follow Leela’s recovery and visited her during her stays in Mumbai, often accompanied by her daughter, who would join her on her flight assignments. For a long time, the dog had refused to eat. Then, one day, Perpetual sent Karin a photo from the clinic and told her that Leela had started eating again. Karin made a decision: She wanted to adopt Leela and bring her to Switzerland. However, Perpetual made her aware that this would be a lengthy process. Before Leela could travel to Zurich, vaccinations, medical examinations and travel documents had to be arranged, along with various checks and procedures. But Karin was certain about her decision: She wanted to give Leela the chance to begin a new chapter of her life in Switzerland.

A temporary home
After completing all the necessary medical treatments and a final blood test, Leela still had to remain in Mumbai for another three months before she was allowed to enter Switzerland. During this time, a temporary foster home had to be found for her. Perpetual posted a call for help on Instagram, which reached a large audience. Around 15 people came forward, but due to Leela’s skin condition, only a few were considered suitable, as she was not supposed to live with other animals at first. “In the end, we chose Anvit. He treated Leela like his own daughter. He grew up with dogs and therefore knew exactly how to take care of her,” says Perpetual. During this time, Leela made a remarkable recovery: when she arrived at her foster home, she weighed around 14 kilograms; a few months later, she weighed more than 20.

The final hurdle before the journey
By the end of August, Leela was ready for her journey to Switzerland. But shortly before her scheduled departure, the arrangements became particularly challenging once again. Perpetual had to make an appointment with the responsible authorities in Mumbai for the required checks. Several phone calls and emails went unanswered as August 31 – Leela’s scheduled departure date – drew closer. When Perpetual finally secured an appointment, she discovered that a deworming certificate was missing. Without this document, the authorities would not release the paperwork. Time was running out. Perpetual was standing outside the government office, her phone battery was dead, and the office was due to close in less than an hour.

Then, Perpetual received unexpected help: A man approached her outside the government office and turned out to be a lifesaver. As it happened, he was an assistant to an employee of the relevant authority and also knew a local veterinarian. Together, they went to the veterinary clinic, where the missing certificate was issued. The man managed to arrange for the government office to stay open longer so that Perpetual could return and obtain the required stamp. Thanks to this unexpected help, nothing stood in the way of Leela’s journey to Zurich.

Support from SWISS
For Leela’s long-awaited journey from Mumbai to Zurich, Karin and Perpetual received organizational support from SWISS. As an exception, both were able to operate the scheduled flight as members of the Cabin Crew. Karin’s daughter was also able to travel as a passenger to help Leela through the departure process in Mumbai and meet her at the airport in Zurich after landing. Both the departure process in Mumbai and the arrival in Zurich went smoothly. Perpetual looks back positively on the entire journey and is very grateful to SWISS for its exceptional support: “Everything worked out. Everything just came together perfectly.”

Settled in Switzerland
On 31 August, 2026, Leela finally landed in Zurich. In her new home with Karin in the canton of Fribourg, she first had to get used to her unfamiliar surroundings. The first few nights were a little challenging, but she has since settled in well. “She has found her spot on the couch. We go for long walks early in the morning, in the late afternoon and in the evening,” says Karin.

Above all, Leela seems to value being close to her people. Leela is not Karin’s first rescue pet. She had previously adopted a dog from an animal shelter. She also has cats, rabbits, fish and chickens. Leela is now another member of Karin’s little farm in the canton of Fribourg.

More than a single rescue
Perpetual and her family have been supporting stray animals in Mumbai for many years. Together with various NGOs, she helps provide them with medical care and supports the rescue of around 40 cats and 10 dogs every month. At the same time, she has noticed that more and more people in Mumbai are becoming involved in animal welfare, even though there is still much work to be done. Every contribution counts, no matter how small.

SWISS crew members can also make a difference during a layover – for example, by visiting an animal shelter, taking dogs for walks, feeding the animals or simply spending time with them. Especially for animals that spend much of their time in kennels, such visits provide an opportunity for exercise and affection. Sometimes, even an hour can make a difference.

“It’s important not to look away,” Perpetual emphasizes. Leela’s story shows how much can happen when people take notice and take action. After a long and difficult journey from the streets of Mumbai to Switzerland, Leela has found a new, loving home – and with it, the chance for a new life.