On tonga rides and war horses

Look back at our struggle for freedom,
Trace our present day's strength to it's source;
And you'll find that man's pathway to glory
Is strewn with the bones of the horse.
~Author Unknown

My experience of horse-riding is limited to the "tonga" rides I took as a child, at Bund Garden in Poona, and at the hill station resorts, Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Though I did go running at the Poona Race Course every single day for nearly five years, when we moved to one of the small outhouses, a tiny cottage on Elphinstone Road (I was told by my parents that these used to be the stables during the British Raj) which was part of a large stately bungalow. At the Race Course, I would see these beautiful horses, out on their morning rounds, and I would always try and be there before dawn, to watch the sun rise up above St Patricks Cathedral which could be seen from a distance. One of the few places in the crowded, polluted city where it was still possible to smell the morning dew on the grass, breathe fresh air, and watch the sun come up each morning. And even though many people would come to the Race Course each morning for their daily walk/jog, I would always be on my way out, just before 7 a.m. when the place got busier. So for an hour or so every morning, it was just me and the horses. I remember being in awe of these beasts, and being intimidated by their beauty. Even when I started teaching at Bishops School (a 7.30 start), I used to do my best to go to the Race Course before that, to spend time with the horses in such a peaceful surrounding.

Untitled

Post Deleted. This always makes me smile.

Hand2Paw - Homeless teenagers and animals unite.

 If only every city in the world had someone like Rachel Cohen who would make the connection between society's most vulnerable young people and equally vulnerable animals.....

Blog about this coming up soon - but in the meantime, check out the Hand2Paw Website as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages.

 And share this video below with everyone you know....

On Flumpy - poster dog for overlooked Oldies everywhere.

© Angela Chapman of Poochie Freak Photography

Here is "Flumpy", real name Upton, an older dog who has been waiting six years in kennels for a home where he can live the rest of his life. I wanted to share his story with all of you, because he is just one of the many beautiful "oldies" that is waiting for a loving home. I also wanted to highlight the work of the Oldies Club, an astonishing charity that helps so many dogs (and a few other animals!) like Flumpy, who would otherwise never stand a chance at even being alive.


If you click the "About" page on this blog, you'll notice that my maternal grandfather gets a mention. One of Poona's most legendary animal-welfare people, he has devoted the better part of 50 years to improving the lot of the city's animals. In India, old dogs live side by side with young dogs and puppies (though thanks to the excellent efforts of the animal rescue groups in the city over the last 8-9 years, I don't see many puppies on the streets anymore, courtesy of spay/neuter projects). So "oldies" are never waiting for a home, as it were - the street is their home. They rough it out as best they can, in the heat and dust, and get through most of their life depending on the kindness of the many citizens of Pune (like my mum and grandfather) who feed them daily, while on their morning walk. Some of the lucky stray (mixed breed/pariah) dogs end up in homes, as loved and pampered as their "pedigree" friends. My mum used to only take in this Indian street dog breed - ever since I can remember we had a house full of dogs and cats. My grandfather went a step further, he took in the older dogs that seemed to be struggling with life on the streets, the ones whose joints were getting stiff, or ones who looked like they just wanted a cool, shady floor to lie on for the rest of their years, and a regular meal each day. So I've always been understanding of "oldies" - the dogs who, for a wide variety of reasons, find themselves looking for a new home at a time in their life when they should be spoilt and pampered, after the years of companionship they have provided to their human friend!

VegetarianISM vs BEING Vegetarian - Think Before You Eat

Writing about the superiority of a vegetarian diet in his 1813 essay titled 'A Vindication of Natural Diet', Percy Bysshe Shelley stated:

If the use of animal food be, in consequence, subversive to the peace of human society, how unwarrantable is the injustice and the barbarity which is exercised towards these miserable victims. They are called into existence by human artifice that they may drag out a short and miserable existence of slavery and disease, that their bodies may be mutilated, their social feelings outraged. It were much better that a sentient being should never have existed, than that it should have existed only to endure unmitigated misery. 

I don't really make a big noise about being vegetarian and have always rejected vegetarianism, in the same way as I am Zoroastrian, but refuse to participate in the man-made institutional politics of Zoroastrianism. And even though I am practically a vegan, I never talk about it unless it comes up at occasional social gatherings or if someone else questions me about it.  A non-vegetarian does not keep talking about their dietary preferences, so I have never really felt the need to go on and on about mine, unless someone goes out of their way to question me about them. I can't think of a more boring topic of conversation than someone's dietary preferences.

Bob: London's Big Issue Cat & James his saviour

I had no reason to be there. But through a weird last-minute occurance, I found myself at Angel tube station. I did what I had to in the area and was just about to make my way back to the tube, when I spotted something that nearly caused be to get hit by a car (not the first time). Across the street, I saw a young man selling what looked like "The Big Issue" - that wasn't so extraordinary. What caused me to actually freeze in the middle of a busy street was the fact that there was a CAT sitting by his side. A CAT! Right outside a very busy London Underground station, bang in the heart of a very, very busy area with hundreds of people passing by, buses in every direction, cars, endless traffic. A CAT! And he wasn't freaking out, he was tucked in, watching the world go by. When I crossed over to where the magazine seller was standing, I noticed that he was, indeed, selling "The Big Issue" and that the cat was his companion. How on earth can someone teach a cat to stay put for a few hours on a very busy road? How does he not just take off after a pigeon. What about food? What the HELL is going on?! All these questions, running through my head. But I was drawn to man and cat, almost in a trance at this bizarre yet beautiful sight!



I asked the seller (whose name is James) if I could stroke his cat, and he said that "Bob" (the cat) was very friendly and loved strokes. So that's exactly what I did. Imagine the sight, if you will. A magazine seller, an orange cat and ME, down on my knees stroking the cat under the chin. Oh dear. Anyone reading this will fear for my mental well-being. But it was really touching to be part of Bob and James' little routine. I asked James how he managed to keep Bob from taking off, and he said that Bob will only go anywhere that his human goes. So much for anyone who says cats aren't loyal or affectionate (I know they are, but this is actual proof, if you ever need it).

This was some time ago. Today, I found out that James' has had his fair share of knockbacks in life, and when Bob turned up in his life, the feline too was in very bad shape.

Merry Christmas Photos from the Blue Cross

I volunteer at my local Blue Cross, which is not an animal rescue, but provides low cost vet care to those most in need, both at its main hospital and via mobile clinics that travel to various areas in the city. I volunteer as a Vet helper at one such mobile clinic and am also involved with fundraising/admin at the main clinic. Here are some of my favourite pictures from my second home since animals and people need caring for even though it is Christmas!

The lovely Aoife playing with a cat called Aoife who is in with her sister!

On Elephants and Circuses by Saleha Jawwad and Karishmeh Felfeli

By @animaltalkies and @salehaj 

Two special babies find loving homes

Two special needs dogs find loving homes in Udaipur, India

A homeless youth Ronald and his cat Charlie Find a Home at Covenant House |Covenant House

Ronald and Charlie Find a Home at Covenant House |Covenant House

Laxman and Renuka Srinik - Living Patron Saints of Mumbai's Cats

Cats of all shapes and sizes - cared for by one elderly couple

The Sriniks live in an abandoned cabin - a sort of make shift one-room house in Charkop, a place in Kandivali which is in North Mumbai. And while many married couples might complain about their flat, apartment or house being "too small" or feel the need to upgrade and buy a bigger house, the Sriniks prove that there really is no such thing as "cabin-fever" if you're with your soulmate. Even if your privacy is compromised a tiny bit....owing to the fact that you share your life and home with nearly two hundred cats and kittens. And before anyone from the West reads this and starts to think "they're hoarders" or "crazy cat people" - look at the photos. The cats are not living in misery and filth. Laxman and Renuka take it upon themselves to look after, feed and care for any stray, abandoned, injured cat or kitten that they come across. They have very little material wealth, as you can probably guage from the photographs - but don't the animals look well? And for such an elderly couple, don't Laxman and Renuka look incredible? The word I would use is enlightened.

Cats Aid, Dublin - Fundraising Sale - please come along if you are in town?

ALL I AM SAYING....IS GIVE CATS A CHANCE (Yes, to be sung to the tune of Lennon's Give Peace a Chance! No...I've not lost my mind completely. Here are a few reasons why not all people who love cats have a screw loose!) 

ANYWAY.....HELP CATS AID, DUBLIN BY GOING TO THEIR FUNDRAISING SALE.

WHEN? 25th June from 12.00 p.m. to 14.00 p.m.

WHERE? Iris Charles Centre for Older People, Newbridge Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland

HOW MUCH? 1 euro - that's right, admission is just ONE euro. Please come along, whether you love cats or want them dead! Think of it as good karma!

On Food - Do you know many Vegetarian Iranis/Parsis?

Parsi Mutton Dhansak

"Animals are my friends, and I don't eat my friends." - George Bernard Shaw

Before I begin writing about animals or vegetarianism, I have a confession to make. Despite being a very fussy eater as a child (my mother says that getting me to eat ANYTHING was a struggle), I have been a passionate "foodie" since my late teens. By "foodie" I mean, I adore cooking and am obsessive about preparing fresh meals from scratch, whether there are only a handful of ingredients, or all my masalas at my disposal. I love eating exotic food- think Indian, Persian, Mexican, Thai, Lebanese, Cuban..It helps that I was surrounded by the fragrances, odours and colours of Indian, Persian and Parsi cooking as a child. As a result, my worst nightmare was when I came down with Jaundice and at to eat plain, boiled (i.e. tasteless) food for two months when I was around ten. Even at 20,000 feet, trekking in the Nepal Himalayas in 1999, I carried a packet of homemade lime ad mango pickle - to jazz up the already delicious Nepali dahl-bhat (lentils and rice) that we would eat daily in the mountains. And while I love getting an occasional takeaway or going out for a bite to eat, I really do prefer to spend all day cooking an assortment of dishes. In that sense, I could never adjust to a life of endless restaurant and takeaway meals, rolls, sandwiches, chips. 

VICTORY FOR TONY, the Truck Stop Tiger!

Breaking News....Victory for Tony

A couple of months ago, I wrote about a beautiful tiger called Tony, the 10 year old Bengal/Siberian used as a roadside attraction in Louisiana. The only life Tony has known is one in a hideous truck stop, breathing fumes from vehicles, and used as a tourist attraction for passers-by to gawk at. After a very, very long campaign (just over three years) thousands of petition signatures, and blogs, videos and articles published all over the world (including messages from celebrities such as Leonardo di Caprio and Ian Somerhalder who is originally from Louisiana), a judge has FINALLY ruled in favour of Tony and against his owner Michael Sandlin. I cannot describe how elated I feel, especially since when this great news broke, I was actually in hospital after an accident and missed the moment this victorious ruling was made. On 6th May 2011, Judge R. Michael Caldwell granted a permanent injunction which blocks The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from issuing a new permit to Tony’s owner Michael Sandlin. READ MORE ABOUT THIS HISTORIC RULING HERE

Article on Vegetarianism in Zoroastrian faith. From Jam-E-Jam... on Twitpic

FASCINATING - a short while ago I wrote about Vegetarianism, and described my experiences as a Zoroastrian who did not eat animal-products. This is an article reprinted in a June 2011 issue of Jame-E-Jamshed, which was originally printed in the 1980s.


You can also ead my original post on vegetarianism in the Zoroastrian faith, and amongst Irani/Parsi households here. 

FURTHER READING  

Parsi man founded the American Vegan Society, wife a pioneering author of Vegan cookbooks. 

The first Vegan Cookbook was published in 1966, and was written by a Parsi lady, Freya Dinshah. Her husband, Mr H. Jay Dinshah (1933-2000) was instrumental in introducing and publicising the concept of "Veganism" in America. The Dinshahs founded the American Vegan Society, and it is still based on "Dinshah Lane", in Malaga, New Jersey, decades after it was founded.  As this New York Times article elaborates, thanks to the efforts of the Dinshahs, veganism is thriving in New York City.

Read the IVU Obituary about Jay Dinshah here. 

Vegetarianism in Ancient Cultures

DASTUR BODE, a High Priest of the Zoroastrian religion, explained that culture means right living and includes a proper diet. Though our cultures may appear different we are not divided by them for there is an inner culture revealed by self knowledge and we must grow in unity through self realisation. Read more at the International Vegetarian Union Archive here

You can also read Dastur Bode's lecture "Vegetarianism - a Message for the New Age" from the 1957 IVU Congress here.

The Truck Stop Tiger called Tony.

The first time I saw a real, live tiger was at Peshwa Udyan Zoo, in Peshwa Park, near Saras Baug in Poona. I'm struggling to remember my first impressions, as I can't have been more than three or four years old. I remember really enjoying the day at the Zoo - small and primitive though it was. I actually saw the magnificent tiger from the little children's toy train that used to run through the park, up the little hill, overlooking the tiger enclosure at the very end. Straight out of some Rudyard Kipling sketch or essay. As I grew older, and returned to Peshwa Park Zoo a few more times, I felt more and more uneasy at the ridiculously tiny enclosure the tigers had to themselves. I still remember one tiger pacing up and down the narrow corridor in the 35 degrees celcius heat. Still, this was Poona, India and the animals "seemed" well looked after, so who was I to argue with that.

The plight of Orangutans - why do I care?

 












I have to be honest. It is not easy trying to make a living as classical musician, teacher or radio broadcaster when you also devote half your life to rescuing animals and working with local and international animal welfare charities. The life of a musician is a horrendously uncertain one (as I've experienced through the past 12 years) but when whatever little money you earn goes to paying release fees for pound dogs, vet bills for rescued cats, bales of hay for starving horses, adopting an orangutan, sponsoring old animals its twice as hard to make ends meet. But I would not have it any other way - money comes and goes, but if you don't use it for those less fortunate (and human beings count too - I always support Big Issue sellers, or the School for the Blind in Poona or the Irish Wheelchair Association for instance) then even if you're very wealthy, it counts for nothing.

Ruthie

It is for this reason that I had to think long and hard about beginning this blog - I've written about some of the animal rescue stuff I've done on my website, but to devote an entire blog to all this was a decision that was not very easy to make. It all began with the blog post I wrote about Ruthie the Orangutan and the work of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. I'll never forget how I felt when I wrote that wee blog post on the Sarabande-Glenn Gould Project website, and I made a mental note to myself, that perhaps I should start a blog which would be devoted to wildlife and animals.

Which brings me back to the subject of today's post - Orangutans. If it wasn't for Orangutans, I would not have begun this blog. What is it about the plight of these beautiful ginger creatures? Why do I care so much about them and their survival? Why do I find myself reading every article I can get my hands on, about palm oil, illegal logging and the destruction of Borneo's forests? Why do I care if the orangutans live or die or are destroyed by human greed and consumerism? At first I thought this was a difficult question to answer. But now I know the answer is simple. I care because I see myself in them. How would I cope if my mother was shot dead in front of my eyes when I was still a toddler? How would I feel if I were put in a tiny cage for fourteen years of my life as a pet to a bunch of ignorant humans? How would I feel if my arms and legs were stiff and sore from never getting any exercise? How would I feel if I had no food to eat, no warm safe arms to comfort me, no friends to spend time with, nobody to love me? Orangutans are not "dumb" animals. They are so closely connected to us, yet we destroy their habitat, orphan their children, take away the right to live on this planet. When you look at a photograph of a baby orangutan, do you really see a "dumb" animal? I don't. Orangutans are capable of feeling all the things we feel on a day to day basis. Stress, grief, boredom, pain, love, warmth. Orangutans are curious, intelligent, hilarious, compassionate and capable of learning many extraordinarily complex tasks if they are given the chance - provided their habitat, home and right to life on this planet is not snatched from them. If I had more money I would go out of my way to help these beautiful creatures - they are my extended family after all. When I read this recent news about the mother and baby orangutans that had been captured,I felt their pain, their extreme shame and despair, their physical and mental suffering. It sounds weird, I know but this is true. When I read that the mother had not made it, I actually cried (and it takes a lot for me to cry) - she must have been suffering so much, but perhaps death brought her peace and an end to the shame and helplessness she must have felt when alive. At least her little one, now named Peni, survived the ordeal and is in the care of International Animal Rescue.

When I wrote about adopting Ruthie from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation  & the extraordinary Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project founded by Lone Droscher Nielsen (pictured right) so many people wrote in to ask me how she was getting on. People still ask me how she is doing. At first, I would let them know, but since most of these people are reasonably secure financially I now tell them that if they want to know how she is doing, they should pledge an adoption themselves. People think nothing about spending £80-100 on a night out, or at a music festival, and if I can give up my daily cup of takeaway coffee or a newspaper so that orangutans like Ruthie can live the life they were supposed to, then so can other people. This not just about me "feeling bad" for the plight of animals - this is about saving a species that is so close to us human beings - think of it as saving your extended family or friends. Orangutans are threatened by palm oil plantations, habitat loss from logging and mining. Females are killed and eaten and babies are taken for pet trade. We humans, being the more "advanced" species, have done this to our fellow creatures who resemble us and are so much like us. In the end, only we can save them and give them the chance to live on this planet, free to raise their children high up in the trees that are rightfully theirs. This is why I care about the plight of these beautiful creatures and this is why this blog exists - because they make me want to share how I feel about them with the whole world. Their suffering is my suffering, and with apologies to Emile Zola, "the fate of these animals is of greater importance to me than the fate of appearing ridiculous, it is indissolubly connected with the fate of men." 

P.S: Most people who read this blog will be doing their Christmas shopping at this time of year. Consider a different sort of Christmas present this year. Adopt an orangutan, and support the work of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation help animals such as the little orphan orangutan Peni at International Animal Rescue or pledge your support to the Orangutan Land Trust to secure the future for these beautiful creatures.

The Karuna Society Facebook Fan Page (yes, I admit, FB has it's uses!)

I have a Facebook Page, but it's not a personal one - I'm sure quite a few of you remember my rant about Facebook a couple of years ago! I have been using Twitter (as of the last week and a half), but I have no real need for a personal Facebook Page. However, I have seen how helpful a Facebook Fan Page can be to an organisation (particularly a charity or cause) so when the opportunity came up for me to help one of the world's most incredible animal welfare charities out, I decided to go for it. Most animal rescues, charities, shelters and organisations have a Facebook Page. Some may not even have a website, but they have a Facebook Page. I'm not unaware of this - even though I don't have a personal FB, I know the impact Facebook has made on our society (for better and for worse). While I have no time for Facebook (and Twitter, for that matter) as "self-promotion" tools, I can certainly see the merit in a charity using both social networking sites to raise awareness, raise their profile and raise funds for voiceless animals. So when I discovered that the incredible Karuna Society for Animals and Nature did not have a Facebook Fan Page (they did, however, have a Facebook Group, but I felt a Fan Page would get people involved a lot quicker), I decided (with the permission of two wonderful women - Romula D'Silva and Eileen Weed) to make one.



Within 24 hours of the Karuna Society Fan Page being up on Facebook, it had 44 "likes" and in the 2 days that it has been in existance, 72 people have become Fans of the page. I have now made it my personal mission to get as many people to support this page and the work of Karuna Society as I possibly can. In a country like India, where larger organisations such as PETA India, the Blue Cross and Maneka Gandhi's People for Animals are all doing very good work, organisations such as Karuna which often do so, so much for animals don't get the recognition or support that they deserve. Karuna Society is responsible for the welfare and rescue of cattle, wild animals, disabled dogs and cats, birds and just so many voiceless creatures who would surely have no chance in the "dog eat dog" society of India where suffering and cruelty are far more visible than in the West. By "visible" i don't mean that there are more animals suffering in India than anywhere else - in fact, sometimes I feel that the animals in sanitised Western cities are a bit worse off when compared to their Indian counterparts because abroad, out of sight is really out of mind. The thousands of dogs euthanised in dog pounds, the thousands of cats and kittens drowned and abandoned, the puppy farms, greyhound abuse it's all well concealed from the majority of the population.

So anyway, I do hope you take a moment to support Karuna Society's Facebook Fan Page. Feel free to look around the page, check out all the photographs and leave your comments and feedback - I will personally ensure each message is responded to. On behalf of everyone involved in the running of Karuna on a day to day basis, and all the animals that the society has saved, a big thank you for any support!


KF


KARUNA SOCIETY FACEBOOK FAN PAGE 

KARUNA SOCIETY WEBSITE

An Angel - Roshni D'Silva - Pune's street dog saviour

Roshni D'Silva - Pune's miracle worker

 

Anyone who is involved in animal rescue in any capacity knows that human beings are capable of inflicting unspeakable cruelty to their fellow creatures. Since beginning this weblog, I have come across such horrific stories of animal abuse, neglect and cruelty, that I have felt despair at human ability to inflict pain to our friends. But anyone who is involved in animal rescue also knows that for all the cruelty and evil that exists in the world, there are also those who make such an impact to the welfare of voiceless animals, that it makes you feel less hopeless, and more resilant. These are the people we don't read or hear about, the silent few who get their hands dirty and just get on with the business of helping, rescuing, healing, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. My faith in humanity was restored earlier this week, when I came across the story of a young girl who devotes all her time, energy and money to helping the stray dogs of my home town - Pune, India. Roshni D'Silva, a vegan since the age of 15,  is completely unique in that she works tirelessly in the dust and heat of Pune, doing absolutely everything - from catching injured or unneutered dogs, treating them or taking them to the nearest vet hospital if they require urgent medical attention, using every cent of her own money to pay for medicines, bandages, syringes, and doing whatever she has to, to ensure that any stray dog she encounters is given the same care and attention that a family pet would receive.

I love India's stray dogs - they are a vital part of the landscape of the country, and unlike sanitised Western countries where millions of healthy dogs are gassed or euthanised in pounds because they are no longer wanted, and can't exactly roam the streets, India's strays make the streets their home. They are alert, loyal, affectionate and excellent guard dogs, and they want for very little, but give so much in return. Roshni D'Silva's unwavering affection for these noble creatures, her willingness to help every dog she encounters and spare it from a life of suffering, breeding and pain makes her a living saint, in my book.

With a Diploma in Animal Management from Nottingham, England, and volunteer experience with PETA and the Farm Sanctuary, Roshni would be an asset to absolutely any animal welfare organisation in the world. So it's all the more incredible that she has devoted herself to helping the animals in India, and take it upon herself to save as many as she can, from pain and suffering.

One of many stray dogs with Mange

 What is also admirable is the fact that Roshni is willing to use her passion and love for animals in a way that matters most - educating people, treating the animals herself, sacrificing creature comforts so that more dogs can be helped. This is illustrated in a conversation I had with my mother recently (before I came across Roshni's story). My mum mentioned a stray dog with very severe mange (much like the dog pictured), who refused to come anywhere near her (hence making it impossible for her to catch him and take him to the vet). Every day for the next three days, my mum did her best to try and get close to it, luring it with food and treats. When she mentioned this to my dad, in passing, he told her about a young girl with a backpack who treats stray dogs - he said he had noticed her a few times, walking everywhere, and administering medicines to a few stray dogs. Finally, my mum managed to get her number and upon ringing her, asked if there was any possibility she could help with the dog suffering from severe mange. As luck would have it, the young girl was very sick, but she did give my mum the name of a tablet that works very well for the sort of condition this dog had. My mum began giving the dog the tablet every day for the next week, and within a couple of weeks the dog was nearly recovered. Earlier today, much to my surprise, I found out that the name of the girl my mum spoke to was Roshni D'Silva.  So not only is this remarkable young woman rescuing stray dogs, but she is also happy to educate members of the public, and use her better judgement when it comes to treating the animals she encounters.

Roshni D'Silva - Vegan since the age of 15

Ever since I was a child, I've always felt an unspoken closeness, a sort of kindred connection with people who show a love for their fellow sentient beings. In India, you notice all sorts of contradictions when you're growing up - the "sacred" cow on one hand, the mass production of leather on the other. The beautiful pedigree dogs out with their owners at the local race course, the hundreds and thousands of stray dogs sleeping under cars and rickshaws. The deeply spiritual energy of the country, contrasted with acts of mindless cruelty. Local vets, animal carers, people who work day in and day out for very little money at local hospitals and shelters, the materialistic and extravagant upper classes who think nothing about spending thousands of ruppees in one night. Which is why when I come across someone like Roshni D'Silva, I feel a surge of pride, an inner peace knowing that someone like that is living in my home town, in my home country, making a difference to all the voiceless strays that I grew up rescuing and feeding. In her own words she "lives a very simple life" and "whatever she earns is for the dogs". This is a girl who thinks exactly as I do - she is incredible.

When I was in Pune a few months ago, I noticed how few stray puppies there were, and how many dogs were neutered  (of course, I ended up carrying a big hulk of a stray dog to the vet to be neutered, much to the amusement of my mother and a rickshaw driver because he wouldn't stop following me, and because I felt, I had to!). I felt optimistic then, and I feel optimistic now - Roshni D'Silva has only been in Pune for the past two years, but if all the stray dogs of Pune could speak, they would agree with me when I say that I hope this beautiful woman makes the city her home for many years to come.

Sources: The Indian Express: Pune Newsline 4/10/10

Dog Pounds Ireland - the reality.

When I lived in Ireland, I was involved with local rescues, and I also fostered dogs, so I was no stranger to the deeply upsetting reality that nearly 30,000 healthy dogs were put down in pounds across the country each year.
As a child, I always imagined Ireland was a country where cows and sheep grazed peacefully and where sheepdogs/collies chased them playfully. Then one day I came across this quote by George Bernard Shaw when I was writing an essay on the great Irish writer "the worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them, that's the essence of inhumanity" and wondered if Shaw had seen this "indifference" first hand in his native country.

My last foster dog - a collie called Jules

 I don't know if things have changed much since Shaw's time. You can read this brutally honest factsheet from the ANVIL Ireland website here which shows how Ireland is, quite literally, a place to die for!! The last time I fostered a dog (pictured left) for an Irish rescue was a couple of years ago (though I did rehome a few pound dogs and transport a few as well after that) and she was in such a bad way when she came to me that I wondered if she would even survive her ordeal. As it turns out, there were SO many dogs in the pounds in Dublin and such few homes available that my foster dog had to go to a home in Sweden once she was ready. So on the one hand irresponsible breeders continue to breed dogs for their own financial gain, ignorant people who care so much about what colour/breed/type of dog they want will pay hundreds (or thousands) for a pedigree puppy, and then when the same puppy grows into an adult dog, and the novelty wears off, or the vet bills are high, or the child becomes allergic all of a sudden, the poor animal ends up in the pound.

THIS is the reality facing hundreds and thousands of dogs in Ireland. Out of sight is out of mind. But the reality for most of these dogs, after months and years of loyal friendship that they have given their human families, is five days in a cold dog pound, surrounded by barking dogs, followed by death.

I always say to people who tell me " oh I can't bear to watch this, or read this, it's too heartbreaking, it makes me cry" that however it makes you feel, by watching it you are at least aware about what is going on for these loyal animals in your country. And if it's heartbreaking for you to watch, imagine how upsetting it is for the dogs, or for the vet who has to put a healthy dog to sleep, or for the staff at dog pounds who have to "clean up" after this by disposing off thousands and thousands of pet corpses. Watch the following two videos if you care (the second video gives you an insight into what it is like for the euthanasia technicians/vet nurses/vets).






ANIMALS NEED A VOICE IN LEGISLATION