The calamitous monsoon in Kerala has left countless families without shelter and thousands of animals displaced. Three animal NGOs - People for Animals, Hands for Paws and Street Dog Watch, have joined forces to form Save Animals Kerala, a collective initiative to help rescue, rehabilitate and provide medical assistance to flood affected animals throughout Kerala.
Says Sruthi K., a spokesperson for the group: “We have been receiving rescue calls from different parts of the State and also a lot of online pleas from owners to help save their pets. We are co-ordinating rescue with various organisations and individuals that are undertaking the tasks in different parts of the State. Places such as Kochi, Kottayam and Alappuzha have a high pet population. While Kochi and Thrissur handle the rescue missions in their neighbouring areas, Thiruvananthapuram, is handling the Alappuzha region. We are concentrating on Alappuzha as there are hundreds of animals, especially cattle, trapped there. We have 10 rescue operators (five from the city and five from Alappuzha) there right now. All of them are trained to handle animals and know first aid to treat wounds and other minor injuries of the animals.”
Currently, the rescue team in Alappuzha has saved 20 dogs, several cats and hens and close to 300 cattle. “At Veeyapuram bridge in Alappuzha we discovered several cows tied up. Although they are safe, they hadn’t eaten in days. We released them and gave them fodder.” While some of the cats and dogs were reunited with their owners, the rest of the rescued pets are currently housed at a volunteer’s home in Alappuzha. The cattle have been left with feed on higher ground as “most of the cattle grazing areas are underwater.”
Junkar boats were used for most of their rescue work. Food for the animals, says Sruthi, are availed through donations. “We have people from different parts of the country and abroad sending us food, money and supplies for the rescue and rehabilitation of the animals. We, however, still require more feed, fodder and medicines.”
Also helping out with the rescue work for animals is Animal Warriors India, a group of animal activists from Hyderabad, which arrived in Kerala on Tuesday. Started by Pradeep Nair, members of Animal Warriors India are trained in tactical rescue of animals. Twelve members of the organisation are in Alappuzha and will be helping out in rescues in Kuttanad area.
“We have spoken to animal rescue operators in Kerala and we have received a lot of calls from people who had to leave their pet dogs behind as they were not allowed on some of the rescue boats. We have a list of houses that have trapped animals. While rescuing them, we will also check the neighbouring houses for signs of life. People who are trapped in their houses will also be transported to safety. We’re using local fishermen’s boats and taking the help from local animal rescuers and fishermen. Our team has experience in tactical rescues and we have carried with us body warmers, ropes, body floaters, basic medicines and first aid kits. Our current priority is to rescue the stranded animals and rehabilitate them,” says Pradeep, who adds they will also take calls for snake rescue.
Chennai rescue team rescuing dogs in Kottayam
An animal rescue team from Chennai is in Kerala to help out too. Says Shravan Krishnan, who is currently handling the ground work from Chennai for the team: “We are a group of friends who are into animal rescue work. We are trained in tactical animal rescue and had helped out during the Chennai flood and the floods in Kargil and Assam. Some of us have been trained by the National Disaster Rescue Force. Right now, there are four rescue workers in Kerala.”
The four-member team, comprising Dinesh Baba, Nishanth Ravi, Arjun Shan and Albert Peter, started their rescue mission in Idduki before moving to Kottayam, Chengannur and Thiruvalla. “More than the flood, Idduki has been badly affected by landslides. Most of the animals we found there were dead or badly injured.”
An SOS call from a breeder in Kottayam led the team to her house where 18 dogs were trapped in her backyard in cages. “It was a challenging rescue as there was 10 feet of water,” says Shravan, who adds that the team found several animals stranded without food and water for many days in Chengannur. “We even rescued two Indian rock pythons which were stuck in a tree and handed them over to the Forest Department in Chengannur.”
According to Shravan, a lot of people from Chennai and Bangalore are contributing to relief materials for both man and animals. “Samaritans in Bangalore gave us a boat which has been useful in our rescue mission.”
All rescued animals will be housed in foster homes and temporary shelters.
Save Animals Kerala: 8547686056 / 8129322476
Animal Warriors India 9121531316 / 9121531317 / 8019983083
