Animal Welfare - Shelters, NGOs and Volunteers

 This is a difficult topic and I have been avoiding writing about this. But let's face it.

When joined "the group", they were in process of registering themselves as NGO. They already had a group on WhatsApp and on Facebook. I helped them set up a Facebook page and Instagram handle. I also created a BlogSpot based website.

The group did not have any shelter of their own but they had an ambulance, which I drove at times to transport the injured dogs. This is how I visited most of the shelters around Pune. I also volunteered at the Angel Lady's shelter in Pune city. It was or probably even in today's date remains to be the only center in the heart of the city. The way this shelter is maintained is a gigantic task. They literally clean every cage, every room every single day. The lady is up in the nights to attend to any injured dog that comes to her. I am not sure if she's medically qualified but the way she treats the dogs is nothing short of being an angel. I had taken an elderly dog to her. The dog had lost her tail thanks to a rash rider. I had tried to treat the dog on spot but living in open, sleeping in mud and dust the wound didn't heal for some two weeks so we requested the angel lady and she more than willingly accepted the dog. Another case was that of Smokey, a stray whose hind leg was broken. She took the dog in and treated well. The broken leg was amputated but the dog survived.

However, when we came across a similar case, we took the dog to NGO who had a shelter and a state of art medical facility. Couple of days later, I received a SMS saying the dog had died. It was a shock for me because I had anticipated that they will look after the dog just the way Angel Lady had. We had rescued another dog who had no hair left on her body. We kept Cinderella in foster care of a young lady. She used to foster a lot of strays and feed them. However, there was infestation of Parvo virus and we had to surrender Cinderella to the shelter cum NGO mentioned earlier. Cinderella also died there. 

A few days later, I had taken an injured puppy with maggots. The puppy had lost his both hind legs. They asked me to sign a form which allowed them to put down puppy. The doc had tried reason with me saying it would have been difficult for the puppy to survive on streets etc. However, I didn't take any of the dogs there after that.

I still have trauma from that incident. I don’t want to blame anyone. One of my close friends has tried to put sense in me ever since. She keeps reminding me about choosing the available resources wisely and also about the power that we have to put an end to someone's misery and pain. This remains the biggest dilemma of my life.

Around this same time, we came across another shelter: Pet's Force. At that time they had a shelter near Wagholi or Kharadi. The kennels were huge and the dogs were well looked after. There was an air of Positivity first time I went there. They would take in dogs with skin infections, accidents and all. The shelter was far but the people are really good. The chiefs Vinod Salvi & Michella both are dedicated to the cause and it remains to be a pleasure to interact with them. 

Today they've moved the shelter even farther from the city for good. They now have bigger facility and medical assistance. I have tried doing monthly drives of crowd funding for rice and kibbles.

 During these drives, there have been incidences when I went back to people to tell them that this is how the money was spent, they've shown me immense trust saying we don’t want the accounts, we know we paid to a good person and we are confident that the funds will go to right cause. I am immensely grateful for having such positive supportive circle. Then there were people who kept saying that they'll pay directly and never did. Anyway!

 

The group that I was working with had turned into an NGO and then a lot drama started to happen. One of the trustees wanted to create some committees and pay honorarium to them monthly. One of the trustees wanted to throw other trustees out and take charge of the trust. A lot of political friction kept happening. Finally, one day I quit the group and moved on doing the work. Also, now that I am registered with AWBI as community Animal Care giver and that I have on hand experience of treating the dogs I wasn't dependent on the group much.

The people who gained authority through their employment at certain NGOs have thrown pitiful attitudes of being non cooperative towards people who wouldn't follow or fulfill their whims. I have seen ABC drives being made unsuccessful just because certain people's tantrums were not "respected".

What I noticed is variety of people and their approach towards the Animal Welfare activity. A lot of women were drawn to the activity as an activity to involve themselves, they sometimes ignored their responsibilities also at times. There is a lady I know of; she had two dogs at home. One of the dogs won’t let her touch him or take him for walks. She would be feeding some dogs but the pets her home would go hungry for hours or sit in dark or wait for the walks while she would be tending some dog on the street. What we often forget is charity begins at home!

Another volunteer had dumped her pet dog at a shelter - creche run by a young fellow without paying him a single rupee. The dog was dumped because he had attacked head of the family twice. The dog ran off the shelter. Now this enraged volunteer created a ruckus in the fellow's life with the help of few other people. I also found out that couple of animals had died while they were at this shelter but death is unavoidable most of the times when you rescue a sick or gravely injured animal. Parvo virus is that deadly. Apart from killing that one animal the faeces of that animal are also equally infectious. That waste should be discarded properly and the place – spot should be sterilized to control further infestations. The fellow was young and rather inexperienced in my view. People kept dumping their dogs and cats with him free of cost. He was planning on starting a creche or a day care cum hostel facility however he probably lacked the skill of saying no. And that led to the entire ruckus. I hope better things are happening around him now.

Many people have a feeling that since I have reported the injured or sick animal to any "Helpline", my work is done. They don't want to help in any way. Instead, they've audacity to teach others how to do their job. People have asked me how long do I need to have lunch or dinner because they need to rush to work. People have chosen to stand 50 feet away from the injured animal and expected the volunteers to locate the dog or pick up the cat and JUST TAKE THEM AWAY! I have seen people telling volunteers to pick up the animal because it might bite them as if the animal wont bite the volunteer. The volunteer's life is not important? I am too dumb to understand this mentality.

 There's much more that I can write about people I have met during this journey, but I need to move on. Animal welfare will remain an important aspect of my life and I will continue to help every possible case. But for now, this is period!