In their 20th year of operations, a volunteer at People For Animals (PFA) has embarked on a mission to record their achievements in a documentary, Heads and Tails . Meet Hari Varma, a computer science engineering student, whose passion for animals has taken him and a group of volunteers at PFA to chronicle the organisation’s legacy.
“The shooting is in its final stage. We have just a few more interviews left with animal activists, says Hari who first visited PFA since it was close to his college.
“Once I joined as a volunteer, I was surprised by how much they do and how little is known about them. From the outside, it seems that they are only about rescuing animals. I found out that they do a lot more. I saw first-hand how they rescue animals and manage despite not having a lot of funds. Also I had never heard of a pet cemetery before I came to PFA.”
“Even when I interacted with Maneka Gandhi for the documentary, she pointed out that the pet cemetery was the only one in India. “Though there are a few unofficial ones coming up, this one is the oldest and the first official cemetery for pets in the country,” Hari explains and adds: “Most people don’t even know one exists in Bengaluru. This video is to spread awareness on this and PFA’s activities.”
PFA Bangalore has rescued over 20,000 wildlife in the city, Hari affirms.
“The best part about PFA is while there are plenty of organisations and groups that cater to and help in the rescue and rehabilitation of domestic animals, PFA is primarily involved with wildlife. It is the best platform for people who want to help prevent the man-animal conflict. The pet cemetery is an added plus point.” Explaining that usually, when people talk about animal welfare in India, rescuing strays and taking care of our pets is what comes to mind. “But very few will actually think about wildlife. Animal welfare includes wildlife. That is very important in a city like Bengaluru where our forests are disappearing and man-animal conflicts are increasing. PFA is for that purpose.”
Hari points out that what is most important to PFA is funding and support. “I hope people can watch the documentary and takeaway that aspect. There are many people who love animals and want to do something for them. But don’t have a platform to show their love. An organization like PFA is there for that.”
See the teaser to Heads and Tails atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=mV1m1arX42wand watch this space for more.
