The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Caring for animals their pet project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Caring for animals their pet project

K. Manikandan

They run a shelter for about 100 dogs

A HOME FOR ABANDONED DOGS: Stray dogs at a shelter run by the Animal Welfare and Protection Trust at Santhoshapuram in Tambaram. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: At a time when there is growing dislike for stray animals, an aged couple spend all their earnings on abandoned and wounded pets. They are so devoted to the cause that they are shunned by neighbours and ignored by relatives. For Padmavathy and Narasimha Murthy of the Animal Welfare and Protection Trust, the day begins even before the first morning-walker hits Velachery Main Road. Mr. Murthy goes around Medavakkam, Gowrivakkam, Sembakkam, Madambakkam, Kamarajapuram and nearby areas looking for wounded pets that have been abandoned.

The couple said they were moved by the plight of the dogs killed by the Velgaivaasal panchayat when they moved into this locality in 1998. "The panchayat used to fill garbage drums with water, mix poisonous acid and drown the dogs," Ms. Padmavathy said. Though it is now a thing of the past, the couple found it hard to bring about any change in the attitude of the local body.

"Many come here only to leave behind the poor animals. We do not expect monetary returns from those who abandon their pets, as we have devoted our lives and sacrificed everything to look after them," Ms. Padmavathy said.

"But what pains is the attitude of the people. They adore the pets as long as they are in good health, but leave them on the streets, forcing the animals to fend for themselves," she said. According to her, dogs are the most affected. Cats are good hunters and manage to find enough prey, unlike dogs. "Our hearts burn at the sight of the poor dogs waiting outside bakeries and meat stalls just for a morsel of food," she said.

The couple run a shelter for about 100 dogs from a rented place at Santhoshapuram Velachery Main Road. Having spent almost all their savings on looking after pets, the couple wonder how they would manage in the days to come.

Though some hotels and restaurants give them unsold or unused bread, buying milk and other rations is becoming increasingly difficult. And unkept government promises add to their woes. When Maneka Gandhi was Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, she recommended to the Kancheepuram Collector to allocate one acre to the Trust so that they could run a shelter for the pets. But till date, nothing has been done, though the two made frequent trips to Kancheepuram and the Tambaram Taluk office. They need to mobilise Rs. 60,000 a month to buy medicines and food, pay for rent, staff salary and for transport the animals.

Those willing to help the couple can contact them at Animal Welfare and Protection Trust, No. 788, Kalaignar Karunanidhi Street, Santhoshapuram, Chennai 601 302. The telephone number is 98416 38489. The e-mail address is awptrust@yahoo.com

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