Do You Know This Kannada Actress Who Has Rescued 4000+ Animals?

Whether it’s through her work or passion, Samyukta Hornad ensures she’s changing animals’ lives. The actress’s work spans roles in the Kannada film industry, but she is loved even beyond the silver screen. Samyukta’s journey with animals began one day when she stumbled upon a puppy stuck in a drain. She adopted him and named him Gunda. 

It was Gunda’s passing that firmed Samyukta’s resolve in animal care. She founded ‘The Praana Foundation’, an NGO that looks after the rehabilitation and rescue of animals, with a special focus on cats. The foundation has a cat rehabilitation and adoption centre that rescues and rehabilitates stray and abandoned cats and helps them find loving homes. It was recently awarded ‘Best Animal Rights NGO’ at the 7th CMSB National Award (2025). 

Until now, Samyukta has helped rescue 4,000 animals and has also been instrumental in setting up a free ambulance to rescue and treat injured strays. 

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As an ambassador for People for Animals and Wildlife SOS, Samyukta has adopted and ensured caregiving for leopards, bears, elephants, and monkeys. In an interview with Indulge Express, she revealed, “We’ve adopted snakes, civets, barn owls, monitor lizards, tigers, lions, bears, elephants — you name it… even penguins! It started as this side thing I did alongside my work in films. Every time I earned from a project, I would use part of it to adopt an animal or support wildlife rehabilitation. That’s how I became a mother to so many animals.”

As Samyukta puts it, it’s not about rescuing but about respecting the beings with whom we share the planet. 

Sources 

'Exclusive: Actress Samyukta Hornad opens up about her cat rescue & care centre, animal welfare and more' by Srushti Kulkarni, Published on 23 May 2025.