Taking Care of ‘Man’s Best Friend’! Animals Lovers from City Feed Stray Dogs during Lockdown
Mangaluru: With a rising number of positive coronavirus cases, several parts of India have gone into lock-down, including Mangaluru. And while humans have been finding myriad ways to deal with the lock down, stray animals have ended up becoming an unforeseen casualty of the lock down. Thousands of stray dogs in our city depend on daily markets, restaurants and local good Samaritans who feed strays. But with coronavirus sending people into isolation and public establishments shutting down, strays have a hard time finding food. These strays are starving with no one serving them, since restaurants and other eateries are closed. But sadly,
And when such is the present situation in Mangaluru, it would be a good gesture from Mangaloreans to feed as many strays as possible in their areas and whenever possible to help the animals survive. And you should know that Street dogs, cows, and birds can neither get nor give coronavirus to humans. However, in the event of a lock down, if they are not fed, many will die, creating another kind of a problem. There should be many animal lovers in Mangaluru, and therefore, it is the need of the hour that at least you all come forward and feed these hungry four-legged, and also the beggars, if you come across. Looking at these stray dogs, they look weak, with sad faces and eyes- but they have been totally neglected by the Govt veterinary dept or by the district administration.
Animal Lover Ms Rajani Damodar Shetty feeding over 300 Stray Dogs during Lockdown
Just like we humans need our daily essentials, the district administration should allot times for designated workers or volunteers to provide food and water to strays since it is also an “essential service”. They should also run awareness campaigns for the public to adopt feeding street animals in such kind of lock down. Law enforcement agencies may also be directed to see that animals do not suffer due to hunger during the COVID-19 lock-down. But unfortunately it seems like it has not been done. And it these Animal Lovers in the City who have swung into action in taking care of these strays during this lockdown- and their service should be appreciated by all.
In his appeal to the public through Mangalorean.com, Animal Lover Francis Saldanha, and a volunteer with ‘Love 4Paws Animal Trust’. and who has also been taking care of stray dogs since decades, and has bunch of strays at home, states- “Many people are not aware that hundreds of stray animals specially dogs, cats, puppies, kittens are roaming on the roads and streets in search of food and water. I am happy to bring to your kind notice few ANIMAL LOVERS are taking lots of pain on their own, spending their own money, to feed these poor souls as per their capacity. Few of them are doing this SACRED job independently and others through their group or team.
“I APPEAL ALL OF YOU, please come forward to have contacts with good people and also others who have INVOLVED in this job and help them with your contribution by way of cash, biscuits, Pedigree food, Rice, Water Bowls, and/or with any other items which will help and save these poor helpless animals.
ANNA DAANAA and PRANI DAYA are known as the basic pillars of all religions. Dear friends, if you wish to respond this appeal, these GOOD SAMARITANS will definitely contact you to receive the help. Please share this appeal to your Group. Thank you” adds Francis.
Among all these Animal Lovers, there has been ONE lady who has been SINGLE handed taking care of nearly 160 stray dogs every night feeding home-cooked rice with chicken, since years- and now during the coronavirus lockdown she has been feeding more dogs during day time, and together day and night she feeds around 300 plus dogs, ALONE, and that’s something great and need to be appreciated by all. (Ref: When No One Cares for Them, Ms Rajani Shetty Feeds Hundreds of Stray Dogs Daily during Lock Down )
Yet another young man and a dedicate Animal Lover Shawn Fernandez, who volunteers with ACT speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “Like the rest of the world, the unexpected lockdown declared by the Government, took the people of Mangaluru by surprise. That is when ACT swung into action and with the many home bound volunteers, took keen interest in keeping the welfare of animals in mind during the lock down period- –
1. Firstly compiled a comprehensive list of all the Pet Shops, with their contact details. The very next day, follow up calls, were made to the owners, to check on the poor absolutely clueless caged animals. To some relief, many owners had taken their pets home, for easy feeding and care. But the problem was with the birds and fish aquariums, which cannot be moved easily. With the help of the police, the shop owners have managed to go and check every couple of days on this, in their premises. It is a relief that the pets in the pet shops are being given food, water every day during the lock down period.
2. The other more pressing situation is of the many strays on the roads and localities. During regular working days its okay as every nook and corner has a small eatery, shop, restaurant and the strays will be fed somehow or the other. But what about this sudden lockdown period? How then will they get their sustenance?”
“With this, many disturbing situations can crop up – Strays, like any living being, can understand and decide that if they are not getting food where they are, they will simply move away in search of it, except of course for the elderly ones, who find it difficult to move out too much. And when they move, they would go in search of it, from localities and residential areas. However, if the people in that area don’t take kindly to strays suddenly coming in near their houses, the animal – human conflict arises. And if the existing strays in that area are suddenly aggressive and protective, this will lead to fights. The worst is if the sick and old don’t get sufficient food to eat, they could simply just pine away and die, leading to another health issue!”
“The good news is that there are many kind-hearted people in Mangaluru and via social media, it could soon be seen, that people were definitely taking this up seriously. Then yet another question arose – many people were actually feeding in common areas, meaning that some strays for were possibly getting fed at least twice or even thrice in the morning, while in other areas, the strays were getting practically nothing. A.C.T., with the largest number of co-ordinated feeders, understood that what was required was to reach out to the general public – all via social media and work on the following points – understand which areas are being taken care and which areas have less or no feeders; work and co-ordinate together at this time on sourcing food items for all strays; and co-ordinate any help that would be required, through a common platform, as the city police had also realized that a lot of people were violating the directives of staying indoors, with the excuse that they were feeding dogs on the roads!”
“And so the entire team of Community Feeders came together to make their entire effort, they selflessly put in, more streamlined – on time, energy and resources. The Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner, Ajith Kumar Shanady – graciously organised three vehicle passes for the Shelter vehicles, and both the Shelter Staff and the Volunteers have been verbally promised that they would receive the co-operation of the City Police, provided they followed the required protocols of Safety and Social Distancing. However, we seek more assistance from the City Corporation, the Assistant Commissioner of Police or the Commissioner of Police offices, in issuing passes to feeders and the vehicles used for feeding strays”.
“Many of the Volunteers were stopped early morning today and sent back home with a warning, though they were wearing the blue ACT volunteer t shirts, and the food for strays in their hands as proof. Definitely, many community dogs would have gone hungry, while requests to feed them kept pouring in via social media. The City Corporations in cities like Kolkata and Indore, have taken up the ownership of feeding community strays and we hope the MCC and police authorities, if not take up the responsibility of feeding, will at least facilitate the issuance of feeders pass / vehicle pass for genuine people ” said Shawn Fernandez..
Team Mangalorean kindly request our readers and their relatives and friends, to come forward and feed the stray animals, especially dogs, and beggars in your area, so that they wont suffer out of starvation. Your kind gesture will be very much appreciated. And for that, Me and my brother feed at least 10 stray dogs (which have become regulars in the morning at our house gate) in Kadri area. And if Ms Rajani Shetty, Francis Saldanha and Shawn Fernandez, among other Animal Lovers can do it-feeding the dogs during this lockdown, You too can do it- and YES, WE ALL CAN DO IT TO SAVE THESE FOUR-LEGGED FURRY ANIMALS FROM HUNGER & DEATH! Thank You.
If anyone of our readers would like to help financially or with pet products, and the present expenses all these Animal Lovers are bearing in feeding more stray dogs during this Covid-19 lock down time, you can contact Ms Rajani Damodar Shetty at 8904563332, 8904563331 or Shawn Fernandez -9845389937 or Francis Saldanha- 8762707646 . Please help them save the dying strays during this lock down, Thank You!
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When No One Cares for Them, Ms Rajani Shetty Feeds Hundreds of Stray Dogs Daily during Lock Down
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