Compassion unlimited, for humans also

Mrs. Suparna Bakshi Ganguly, Secretary, Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA), Bangalore.

Give us a detailed account of the work you do.

CUPA is actively involved with four working units, two of which work on a 24-hour schedule. They are the day clinic and shelter for injured/abandoned animals, the night-clinic and the emergency centre for all animals in distress; the 160-kennel spay neuter centre for the city and surrounding areas' and the large and small animals ambulance service.

This comprises the visible part of CUPA in the city apart from a host of invisible work that goes on like animal-related law suits, articles on animal welfare and activism in various papers and magazines, construction of a well-equipped and well-staffed animal hospital and shelter, which will be open in January 2001. Another project that is underway is also the construction of a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre for the specialised care that injured wild animals living on land granted by the forest department of the state need.

How do you hire for the posts you have?

We advertise for the qualities that we are looking for. The main reason is because it gives us a chance of having some amount of choice in the matter, which we cannot otherwise achieve if we take people through contacts or informally.

What are the qualifications you look for in a person?

This depends on the position that we are advertising for. A very good administrative manager might not be the best animal-care person in the world. The skill level required for both jobs is very different. Therefore we try not to have unrealistic expectations of staff who have specified job descriptions. It is important to remember that all might not be passionate animal lovers but as long as they do a job honestly and well, everything tends to fall in place.

How do you retain people in your organisation?

I don't think we have given retention policies much thought. This is because, charity organisations do not have any fixed revenue and therefore manpower planning becomes secondary. We are dependent on too many variables like grants and donations. Salary expectations are difficult to meet and we do lose young people and doctors who are ambitious. Unless a sizeable corpus is built up for uninterrupted running of the organisation, it is no use talking of manpower and other planning. I think very few animal welfare NGOs have this luxury in India.

What attracts younger people to this field?

We get a lot of young people in the area of animal welfare work as volunteers, but their consistency and mobility as students and professionals tends to deflect them somewhere along the way. I think all of us realise that there are no career possibilities or the chance to make ``good money'' in this line. It is the idealism and the confidence to make a change that basically attracts the younger generation. The younger generation needs to understand that things don't happen overnight and that hard work and a steady, consistent presence is the only way by which changes are wrought. I wish animal welfare was a paying proposition. That would have made possible the presence of dynamic professionals who would have had the security of a well- paying job.

Organisations like yours have often been embroiled in controversies or have to face rough weather. How do you deal with such issues?

Not really. In day-to-day work, it is as tough or easy as all other jobs tend to be. In terms of policies and issues, we have our usual share of differing opinions and ideas. CUPA's main commitment has been to working on what is best for an animal and that sometimes might conflict with what might be easy for the human being involved. Basically, issues like circus animals entertainment or ostrich farming etc might conflict with commercial interests, but we are unequivocal in our stand. However, there are many issues that require attention like poultry farming, slaughter of meat animals but these can be improved and maybe changed only over a period of time. There is no controversy over the fact that these issues do need attention, improvement and change.

What is your advice for people starting out in Veterinary work?

There are many veterinarians in this field who are professionals in their own right. Whether they are in the government, private or welfare field, it is the same as with any other profession. Integrity, ability to deal with any situation, attention to detail is thehallmark of any professional. Coupled with this, if there is a good heartand basic kindness it would be a winning combination.

I find that in many people involved with animal welfare work, there is a strange patronising attitude that is rather frightening. We must realise that it is like all other work, and to get the best, we must put in our best. The fact that one is superior in one's sensibilities or that animals require one's patronage is quite a misguided notion. The fact that a person is in animal welfare is a matter of personal and conscious choice. It is not a noble gesture, which many think it is or would like to believe. They need to know that it is like any other work with clear-cut objectives and commitment.

My advice to young people starting out in this field is that love for animals is one thing and working for them is another. Maybe a lot can be achieved if people realise that moral and financial support goes a long way in keeping on-line services like shelters, ambulances etc, running which is the next best thing if time or finances do not permit work in this area.

Animals give back to us far more than we can ever hope to give to them. If we choose to work for their right to decent living, basic welfare or humaneness in farming them, it is so because it makes us feel good about ourselves. Animal welfare can move onwards only if people have a realistic attitude towards the work and not some fantasy about themselves in relation to it.

ARCHANA JAYAKAR