Mobilize empathy for all animals!
Greetings to all of you caring people worldwide!
The world's troubles may seem endless, but compassion never takes a holiday — and we have lots of uplifting news to share in this update.
As you know, an animal ambulance is more than a utilitarian vehicle. It's a moral statement that animals deserve our care and protection, that animals matter. These ambulances do more than save lives and limbs — they transform people's attitudes.
So imagine the effect of the vehicles we have sponsored as they buzz around the towns and villages of India and Nepal, modelling and embodying human compassion for all animals. Wherever these ambulances go, people are won over to their mission of kindness.
We've donated many of these vehicles over the years. Pictured below are a few of the most recent ones.
#MobilizeEmpathy is a slogan of our beneficiary, the Magic Marble Foundation. Its partner in Nepal, Heart to Help, has already performed hundreds of dog and cat sterilizations thanks to this new ambulance made possible by your donations to Help Animals India.
From a very different part of India in W. Bengal, Goutam Tantia of Uttar Dinajpur PFA (People for Animals) writes:
Respected Madam, Our Animal Ambulance has just been delivered. From all the members of Uttar Dinajpur PFA we convey our heartfelt thanks and are grateful for your kindness and generosity. It will greatly help us in rescuing animals and provide treatment with three cages, one oxygen cylinder stand, and one saline stand. We are so happy to get the Ambulance.
Left: At the dealership with the giant key! Right: All members gathering for the blessing ceremony of marigold garlands. This is traditional for all new vehicles.
Left: Bangalore's Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre's first vehicle! Here it is in action, rescuing an injured kite bird. Right: And here, WRRC staffers bring special treats for the elephants and monkeys!
While there is so much anger and sorrow in the world today, here is a group that marched in honor of the smallest of us!
World Sparrow Day is celebrated on March 20th of every year. The objective is to educate the public about the threat of polluted urban environments and uncaring humans to the house sparrow population and other common bird species.
The dedicated and caring group, PFA (People for Animals) Mysore, marched to ask people to distribute water bowls for the birds and other street animals, as it is already over 40°C /104°F so early in the year. Thank you, PFA Mysore!
Here is a short video of their march.
Remember water bowl distribution is a project of dedicated animal activists all over India, something simple to do to help all our animal friends!
Rabies and 7-in-1 vaccinations continue through our grantees in India and Nepal. Here, an obviously very well loved and cared for community dog benefits from the program!
At the dumps in Nepal, hundreds of dogs are so hungry they resort to scavenging the chemically laden trash heaps. Seen here, Kathmandu Locals compassionately cooks wholesome food for these dogs and feeds them daily, while Help Animals India supports the spaying and neutering of the dogs.
Spay/neuter programs continue as well for community cats in India and Nepal. Above is our grantee in Kathmandu which whimsically calls itself "Catmandu Lovers."
Hands-on Animal Birth Control Surgical Training
However many animal welfare groups in India/Nepal need further vet training to learn the safest and most effective spay/neuter surgery techniques. Recently, Help Animals India was honored to sponsor a new operating theater AND a training program, the first of its kind for the entire N.E. States of India at JBF (Just Be Friendly) for a two week training period in association with WVS (Worldwide Veterinary Service). It's a dream that came to reality after mountains of hurdles.
Above: The new operating theater your Help Animals India donations have sponsored!
This training aimed to impart good surgical skills to young vets and to build confidence to perform Animal Birth Control Surgery to control the population of street dogs and cessation of spreading of deadly rabies disease. The hands on training was given to eight Veterinarians and five vet-assistants. The veterinary assistants were given training of pre-operative and post-operative procedures. There were also theory classes between the practical sessions.
See the video of the training program here.
Left: Bhola (meaning Innocent) is a buffalo who was abandoned to the streets by the dairy industry. When he was found by our grantee in Aurangabad (about four hours east of Mumbai), he was malnourished and had a severe tick infestation. Lots of #TLC is bringing him back to health, and he will live out his life in the refuge of this shelter.
Right: Illegal cow and buffalo transport trucks are often stopped by animal rescuers (here by our grantee at People for Animals) to rescue the animals from the cruel trade. These fortunate ones were treated and taken to sanctuary.
Learn how "sacred cows" are mistreated in India.
India is the land of ahimsa, or harmlessness. Ahimsa affirms the sacredness of all living creatures and calls upon us to harm none — not even spiders and ants, if we can avoid it! Ahimsa is why the dedicated people and groups we support in India and Nepal do what they do, day in day out, in the face of all kinds of obstacles and challenges. Let us all continue to deepen our commitment to ahimsa so all creatures may live in a just and peaceful world.
With deepest gratitude and appreciation — from the Help Animals India team, our colleagues in India and Nepal, and the animals.
