International Dog Day | Prateik Smita Patil & Priya Banerjee : Each dog deserves a forever home
On International dog day, pet parents Prateik and Priya advocate need for pet adoption and condemn inhumane breeding practices
Actors-couple Prateik Smita Patil and Priya Banerjee are unapologetically proud dog parents. On International Dog Day, the couple spoke to us about their two beloved pets — Chico, a Pakistani Bully, and Rocco, a Dogo Argentino, and how life with them has shaped their relationship, their worldview, and their sense of responsibility.
Chico entered Prateik’s life in 2017 as a Christmas gift from a friend and spent his early years in Goa at one of the actor’s restaurants. In 2021, Prateik finally brought him back to Mumbai, where he quickly became the heart of their home. Priya recalls how Chico even played a part in their relationship during the lockdown. “During the pandemic, Prateik missed Chico terribly. One day I just said, let’s drive down to Goa and bring him home. That trip changed everything, Chico became the glue that brought us closer as a couple,” she admits.
Rocco’s arrival, by contrast, was a stroke of fate. “Rocco was destined to be with us, it wasn’t planned, it just happened like it was meant to be. We were looking at pictures one day, and a month later, this beautiful puppy was in our home. It felt like we didn’t choose him but he chose us. Rocco came into our life not because we wanted another dog, but because our hearts were already open. He walked right in and became family. It was fate, not force. With Rocco, it felt like he rescued us — like he brought something we didn’t know was missing,” says Priya.
{{/usCountry}}Rocco’s arrival, by contrast, was a stroke of fate. “Rocco was destined to be with us, it wasn’t planned, it just happened like it was meant to be. We were looking at pictures one day, and a month later, this beautiful puppy was in our home. It felt like we didn’t choose him but he chose us. Rocco came into our life not because we wanted another dog, but because our hearts were already open. He walked right in and became family. It was fate, not force. With Rocco, it felt like he rescued us — like he brought something we didn’t know was missing,” says Priya.
{{/usCountry}}Life for the couple now revolves around their dogs. Meal times, walks, and play sessions dictate their schedules. Being away from Chico and Rocco, even for work, is difficult, and social plans are often cancelled if the pets aren’t well. “They are our source of happiness, our sense of contentment, our purpose,” Prateik and Priya say in unison. Even their parenting roles have naturally fallen into place. “Chico comes to me when he’s unwell, but for play and excitement he goes to Prateik. Rocco also knows exactly whom to approach depending on what he wants. It’s like they’ve divided us into mom and dad roles,” Priya laughs.
{{/usCountry}}Life for the couple now revolves around their dogs. Meal times, walks, and play sessions dictate their schedules. Being away from Chico and Rocco, even for work, is difficult, and social plans are often cancelled if the pets aren’t well. “They are our source of happiness, our sense of contentment, our purpose,” Prateik and Priya say in unison. Even their parenting roles have naturally fallen into place. “Chico comes to me when he’s unwell, but for play and excitement he goes to Prateik. Rocco also knows exactly whom to approach depending on what he wants. It’s like they’ve divided us into mom and dad roles,” Priya laughs.
{{/usCountry}}But the dogs are far more than just companions. Sensitive to their parents’ moods, they sit quietly by their side during low phases, offering unspoken comfort. “It’s a spiritual connection,” Priya reflects. For Prateik, their presence is nothing short of divine. “If there is a form of God on this earth, it’s dogs,” he says with conviction.
The couple advocate adoption over buying pets, as they mention how any future additions to their family will only come through adoption as each pet needs a forever home. “It’s sad to see the conditions animals are in today. We dug deep into the breeding process in India, and what we found was horrifying; it’s mostly illegal, unregulated, and inhumane. Dogs being forced into terrible conditions for profit. That’s not love, that’s business at the cost of life. We decided then that we will never be part of that,” they say firmly, adding, “You see these accounts online glamorizing dog breeding, but they don’t show the pain, the neglect, the abuse that goes on behind the scenes. If you want a dog, don’t buy one. Go to a shelter. They’re waiting for you, they deserve you. The biggest and purest karma you can earn is by saving or adopting a dog. It’s not charity, it’s love in its most honest form.”
Their passion for animal rights also extends to the recent Supreme Court ruling on stray dogs, which they believe has worsened the way people treat animals in public spaces. Priya shares an incident that left her shaken: “Our caretaker was walking Chico in Bandra when an old man suddenly screamed at him and called our gentle, eight-year-old dog a ‘beast.’ That’s the reality. In Canada, where we lived for some time, animals are respected as living beings, but here even our pets are vilified.”
Prateik, equally vocal, adds, “How is any of this their fault? How can we treat them (dogs) like they don’t belong? Vaccinate them. Neuter them. Do what you need to do as a government. But don’t punish animals for simply existing. That’s not the way to go about it’s”
Back at home, however, Chico and Rocco bring nothing but unfiltered joy. The couple laughs about the chaos of returning home each day to scratches, jumps, and boundless energy. While they continue training their large dogs to be gentler with others, they wouldn’t trade these enthusiastic greetings for anything in the world.
On International Dog Day, their message is simple yet urgent: adopt, care, and respect animals. “If you truly believe in God, in karma, in goodness,” the couple says, “give life to a voiceless animal once in your lifetime. There’s no more fulfilling act.”
