BE THE VOICE FOR THE PAWS
In the national capital of India, a man was caught on CCTV attacking a
dog outside his house. In the state of Karnataka, a lady smashed 8
innocent puppies. 11 monkeys were brutally killed and dumped near a highway in
Rajasthan. A cow was run over and killed by a vehicle in Chhattisgarh.
Wounded horses were used for marriage processions in Uttar Pradesh. These
are examples of some brutal and heinous atrocities against animals. Everyday
there are many such cases. But a country which does not care much about
murdering people, can never care enough about killing mute animals.
In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 lockdown, there were reports of
sightings of various rare species of animals in the streets and on national
highways. The absence of human movement and reduced pollution prompted them to
roam freely. At the same time, many strays on the roads died due to lack
of food and proper care. Just like humans are finding it difficult to survive
this deadly pandemic, so are animals. With no proper resources like food,
medication, vaccines; many animals are deprived of the attention that they need
and deserve during these tough times.
Fortunately, there are enough people on this planet who believe and
understand that just like humans, animals have an equal right to live
here. There are several NGOs in every city of India working for animal
welfare. These people; however, are met with a good amount of hatred
since other people see stray animals as a threat.
Now when we talk about stray animals it does not only include dogs
and cats on the streets. Stray animals also include cows, calves, goats
who were abandoned by the dairy industry. It also includes bullocks,
horses, donkeys, monkeys who are used as a means of entertainment and free
labour. Animals who have been displaced due to deforestation are also included
in this category. Most of these animals are not properly taken care of.
In India, there are limited provisions against animal abuse. Most of the
clauses are covered under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of
1960. Due to the absence of stringent laws, crimes against animals have
been increasing.
Let us have a look at how the NGOs help animals. NGOs working for
animal welfare conduct feeding drives across localities to ensure that stray
animals in that area do not go hungry. Some NGOs go a step ahead and
rescue animals from the streets and from abusive owners. They provide
medical attention to the sick and tortured animals. Often these animals
stay with NGOs for a long time until they can be released back or put into a
shelter. NGOs also work on animal birth control programs to ensure that
the population of strays is under control. These NGOs also carry out
vaccination for strays. Other NGOs exclusively work for bringing justice
to stray animals. They make sure that animal abusers get punished as per the
legal provisions in the constitution. They are the voices for these
voiceless animals.
India is home to nearly hundred million strays. Even after all efforts,
NGOs cannot reach out to all the animals. Except for the larger ones, the other
NGOs are severely underfunded. They don't receive many donations, neither
in cash nor in kind. Feeding animals, rescuing them and paying for their
medical expenses requires a good amount of money. Due to lack of empathy
towards stray animals, people don't prefer donating to these NGOs. The small-scale
NGOs find it difficult to survive due to lack of funds. UrGesture is working with one such NGO, POSH Foundation
which is based out of Noida. POSH Foundation actively works for animal welfare
and rescue. Not only do they create awareness against animal cruelty, they also
encourage adoption of the animals. Donating to such NGOs ensures that the
donations fulfil their purpose. It is a step towards protecting strays around
your locality to ensure their safety.
Humans cannot exist alone. To balance the ecosystem, all creatures
should co-exist to form the bubble of life. Just because these animals have
nowhere to go, doesn’t mean that they are worthless. As rightly said by Charlie
Chaplin, “He who feeds a hungry animal, feeds his own soul.” Saving animals is
serving the community. Come forward to give them the care they need and the
love they deserve.
-Kruti Joshi
Absolutely correct words.. so first save the animals of your area or if you can't then just donate to ngo. Great kruti for standing for them and motivating us for good work!
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