It is 3 a.m. in the morning and Rajesh N., a student, is fast asleep when his mobile buzzes. He wakes up and looks groggily at number flashing on the display. Recognising the number, he answers the phone, he makes a note of the address, gets ready and rushes out to rescue yet another animal in distress.
The injured female indie dog that was hit by a passing car is taken to Cessna Lifeline Veterinary Hospital where the doctor on duty tends to her. Soon she will join her furry friends at a foster home till she is adopted. Welcome to the world of an animal rescuer.
Rajesh is one of among the tireless crusaders in the city helping our furred and feathered neighbours. “It all began with an injured dog on the street when I was a kid,” says Rajesh. “While I was trying to help, no one else was interested. Everyone kept going past without concern. That is when I made up my mind to be a friend to animals and birds and rescue any that are in danger or distress. I currently shelter a range of rescued birds and animals at my facility, including a parakeet rescued from an astrologer.”
Jayaprakash Satyamurthy and his wife Yasmine Claire have been working on animal rescue for the last 10 years. “We were raised in homes that had pets and our mothers took care of injured animals and birds so we developed this compassion from a very young age.”
The animal rescuer has many roles. From physically rescuing the animals, coordinating rescues and running shelters to playing foster parents, finding good loving homes, tackling behavioural issues and following up with them, it is a fulltime job.
While some are part of the NGOs that tackle animal rescue, others work independently and still others, like volunteers at Motopaws help by making reflective collars for street dogs.
“Not many take to this field,” points out Rajesh. “It is a voluntary service with no money. The only payment we get is the love and gratitude from the animals and birds we rescue and seeing them happy with the family that adopts them is the most incredible feeling of satisfaction ever. No money can buy that.”
Debadrita Jadhav, who runs Precious Paws Foundation, says it was an inborn quality to be an animal lover. “I’m almost always on call ready to help. I run the organisation myself. Sometimes, it is hard to respond to each and every call. It’s a 365 days-24 hours job. We do our best and then some more. We have families and they need our attention as well. We try and strike a balance.”
Debaleena Ghosh, another committed animal rescuer, says her first pets were rescued from the streets. “That is what led me to become an animal rescuer. However, being one can be very depressing sometimes. We are fighting a losing battle, our hands tied. There is no legal or police support. More than anything else, society lacks empathy. People consider animals as a play thing or a status symbol. There is a lack of awareness that animals are also family. Abandoned dogs undergo severe trauma and people need to understand they have the same emotional connection we have.”
So what can we do to help? Rajesh says there is an urgent need to reach out to youngsters so they are compassionate towards animals and birds. “The benefits of being an animal lover are numerous. Point them in the right direction. With a little bit of education and awareness, children will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of animals and birds.”
Jayaprakash echoes the same thoughts. “The most important thing we can do is raise awareness at the school level. Children are very responsive and sensitive. That’s the long term goal. That way people grow up knowing getting a pet is not just a whim or a fancy and certainly not a status symbol, since the maximum abandoned dogs are pedigree pets. On the short term, there are about four or five NGOs empowered for animal rescue and sterilisation programmes. But since Bengaluru has grown so much, they can’t cover enough territory. There are many independent rescuers as well. We need to strengthen that network.”
Rajesh adds that social media plays a big role as well. “We have support groups like Bombat Dawgz on Facebook that helps us connect better. We are available around the clock. People know who to tag depending on the area.”
Yes you can!
CUPA - www.cupabangalore.org
PFA - www.peopleforanimalsbangalore.org
CARE - www.charlies-care.com
Precious Paws Foundation - www.preciouspawsfoundation.org
Duma's Animal Welfare Trust - Facebook
