Sponsor an Animal at VSCPA
VSPCA has one of the most comprehensive animal shelters in India: dogs and cats, cattle and birds, and wildlife that was being illegally kept to be sold dead or alive. As if that wasn't enough work to do, we also have our ambitiously eco-friendly 100% organic farming and renewable energy projects to run, plus our medical facilities for the animals!
As much as we'd like to take in every needy animal in Visakhapatnam–and trust us, there are plenty–we have neither the space nor the resources. However, there are some truly distressed individuals we come across that we just cannot turn away. The dedication of our volunteers is boundless, but the funds available to cover the costs of caring for our animals are not.
Meet some of our family below and consider donating $20 a month which is an average price for all types of the animals care (less than $1 a day!) to cover some of the costs so that we may expand our family even more. All of us at VSPCA greatly appreciate your support – especially the animals!
Our website volunteer has kindly agreed to take the time to put your name (or the name of someone you are honoring) next to the story with all new sponsorships of six months or more.
Sponsorship stories written by VSPCA volunteers Judy Hungerford, Scott Feldstein and Sneha Koilada.
Listen to the song “I Need Love”, donated to VSPCA by Chris Gormley, and performed by his band Daylight for Dead Eyes:
Sundara
Sundara (meaning beautiful) is Rani's daughter. (You will see Rani's profile on this sponsorship page.) Rani was not good at allowing Sundara to feed from her, so their wonderful keeper, Ramarao, nursed the calf from the bottle. And look how well she has grown up. She lives up to her name with her placid nature and beautiful appearance. As our cattle shelter is so crowded now she may be one of the many cows that will go to our new Kindness Farm when it has the necessary infrastructure built there to shelter and house the animals.
Star Tortoise
They may be small – maybe that's why nobody notices them on our sponsorship site! They may not be furry or cuddly but they are beautiful and highly endangered as a species. Our star tortoises are in a new enclosure having been rescued from poachers planning to use them for their meat and other body parts which are often exported to China for use in so-called medicinal remedies.
Star Tortoises are nearing extinction, which is why their preservation at VSPCA and elsewhere is critically important. Can you help by sponsoring these beautiful creatures?
Baddu
Baddu's mother was Gowari who was stolen from her owner to be taken to an illegal slaughterhouse along with many other cows. The animal theft was reported to VSPCA and we rescued all the cows inside the truck, saving them from an inhumane and illegal slaughter. Some time later, Gowari's daughter Baddu was born, but sadly Gowari died during the calf's birth. However, Baddu has been able to grow up with the friends of her mother who were all rescued that day by VSPCA! She is a real sweetie.
George
[Sponsored by Jan a Cioci until August 5th 2011!] Gorgeous George the water buffalo was hit by a car and was found lying in a road, unmoving. The VSPCA SOS team was called to rescue him and they brought him to the shelter. George continued to suffer from shock for some time, would not eat and was terrified of anyone coming near him.
But now, many months later, he has recovered and is a happy and engaging fellow! At the shelter he has a terrific life in the large animal area, with both a covered area of stalls and a large back field where he can roam with his pals. Apart from looking forward to being sponsored, he is really looking forward to going to our new land called Kindness Farm where there will be a pond for him to bathe in.
Trichy
The founder and President of VSPCA, Pradeep Nath, found Trichy four years ago while doing a cyclone assessment north of our city. Pradeep saw Trichy, then just days old, wandering on the highway. There was nobody around nor any sign of his mother so Pradeep rescued him and brought him back to the VSPCA shelter. Well, look at him now! Top dog, and with a very important office job at VSPCA. Here he is checking his emails. Maybe there's one from you saying you will sponsor him?
Jyoti
Jyoti, like so many others, was rescued from a life of cruelty and misery on the streets of Visakhapatnam. We are so grateful to passers-by who ring VSPCA when they hear a cat in distress or see it tossed away as garbage. This sweet little cat may be timid after her past life out on the streets but she is coming out of her shell in the cat enclosure which she shares with lots of friends. Her life is no longer in danger and she can live a safe and playful life.
Julie
Meet Julie, the newest shyster in our lot. She apparently had no canine interaction before she was ruthlessly abandoned by her owner on an empty road. So she has a hard time palling with other dogs at the shelter. Our over 120 dogs got all territorial with her once they knew they could set her flying with a little growl. She didn’t know they were just entertaining themselves as they do with all new comers. Finally she found this little cat haven that we were renovating at the moment and made herself comfortable on the raised kitty platforms. And she is, of course, so full of antics now in her own way!
Arjun
The animals we help and rescue often surprise us with their will to survive and their sheer persistence. In fact they become quite pacified after they realize our rescue staff is there to help them rather than harm, despite the fact that the very humans have attacked them in the first place. This sweet dog was hit by a car and suffered a grievous injury in the leg, losing a lot of blood in the process. Obviously, the driver didn’t stop to take a second look but a witness to the incident called VSPCA on time. Unfortunately, his leg has to be amputated but he doesn’t seem complain, jumping to join his new mates. We named him after Arjun, the courageous warrior in Hindu Mythology.
Jessie
[Sponsored by Abigail Cromwell until July 7th 2011!] Jessie was paralyzed when she came to the shelter. Her hind legs were badly damaged. But she is one of the luckiest dogs, because at the VSPCA she learned to walk! And run! When the van arrives every morning, she is on her way to greet it. Jessie is totally unafraid of falling down, which does happen. When she gets really excited she goes too fast and her back legs sometimes slip out to one side. But she doesn't even slow down, she just keeps going as fast as she can with her front legs. And she is fast even when she is scooting! When she has a minute, she stops and gets all the way back up again. She can sit and lie down, and then to get back up she hoists herself upright with her front legs. Jessie's story is a very happy one. Were it not for the VSPCA, she would have suffered on the street with her injuries. But here, she is strong and happy. She does not even seem to know that she is different. The vets and staff have worked hard for her and she has worked hard to recover. The result is a happy happy little dog who shares her love with everyone.
Gebo
[Sponsored by Carlos Eduardo Da Silva until June 11th, 2011!] Gebo is the smartest among our newcomers. He knows he is handsome and that running around in circles around our shelter manager Sharada when she’s doing her rounds would put him in the shelter’s spotlight! Gebo was abandoned by his human family, probably weeks before our rescue squad got to him. He was suffering from mange and ticks. He was brought to the shelter, picked clean of the ticks and his mange was treated. But a recurrent ear problem keeps troubling him every once in a while. He is being well taken care of but he still needs your love, support, and prayers to recover completely.
Smoothie
The kids in the streets love it: the Pomeranian. White and furry and beautiful, it’s the most popular playmate and showpiece among the lesser classes of India. Smoothie must have been one such loved darling albeit an abandoned one by some poor family who couldn’t take care of him when he contracted a severe case of mange. He was found on the highway, disoriented and depressed, unable to sniff his way back home. He’s now recovered quite magnificently at the VSPCA shelter as you can see. He loves lazing around with his new friends, and running around VSPCA staff for treats.
There are many cases of abandoned Poms at the shelter. We really hope that our continuing efforts in educating less-aware pet owners in this city will put a stop to more such occurrences.
The Ducks of VSPCA
Every now and then we catch at least one of our shelter staff transfixed at the ducks paddling away in their pond. They are an endearing sight indeed. We have just rescued eighteen more ducks from the butcher’s knife and you can see they have admirably gelled in with our existing gaggle. They were cramped in tiny cages without food or water, left in the terrible South Indian heat with all their defenses taken away. Slaughtering ducks for meat is illegal in India, but the practice still continues as law enforcement remains ineffective. Being the only animal welfare organization in Visakhapatnam our rescue team regularly combs the network of slaughterhouses and butchers and then we file cases against the traders who violate the law. We have managed to shut down the trading of duck meat in four shops recently and we will continue our efforts until there is no more trading. The process may take several months, even years to put an end to this deep rooted malpractice among meat traders. You can help us keep the battle alive!
Mika
[Sponsored by Geneviève Van de Merghel until November 28th, 2010!] Young monkeys often go astray from their troops and end up in villages or suburbs. Mika is one such adventurous dude, rescued by a young and kindhearted watchman when he was just a baby. Watchmen are usually quartered in the building, so he had no problem fostering Mika. Unfortunately, four years later, the boy lost his job and he had no place to take Mika. So he set him free and left. But Mika found his way back looking for his master, only to find the place filled with hostile strangers. He kept returning even after being shooed several times and quickly turned aggressive in self defense and frustration. VSPCA had to rescue Mika and board him in our shelter so that he would not come to harm’s way.
Our shelter space is limited for monkeys because each of them needs their own spacious cage to live peacefully. Please consider sponsoring Mika as he will have to stay with us interminably. Domesticated as he was, he might not survive if released in the wild.
Balram
Named after Lord Krishna’s brother whose principal weapon was a plough, Balram is quite a survivor just like his warrior namesake. After receiving an SOS call about a grievously injured buffalo, a VSPCA emergency vehicle rushed to the spot and rescued him.
Though he lost one of his horns to the accident, Balram recovered quite nicely (and handsomely we might add!) within a few weeks of good rest, food and medicine.
Chinna Pothuraju
Sponsored by the Vaidyanathan family until September 23rd 2010! Chinna Pothuraju (means “small buffalo” in Telugu, the dialect of Andhra Pradesh) was rescued by VSPCA from a cruel animal transport. He was found hidden under the driver’s seat in the vehicle. Now he’s found sanctuary with other buffalo at our shelter.
Read more about our efforts against cruel animal transport here.
Sparky
[Sponsored by Dr. Bosmat Gal until March 15, 2011] One rainy morning in late September 2009, Sparky was found at the entrance to hotel by the hotel bellboy where I was staying while volunteering at VSPCA. He knew I was a veterinarian so he called me; he assumed I would take care of him, and of course I did. Sparky was found by the door, mewing softly, so I took him with me and started looking around for the rest of the family but couldn’t find any of them. Was he abandoned? I took the tiny one to the VSPCA shelter and immediately we bottle fed him the special kitten milk I had luckily brought with me from Boston. On my exam he was found to be healthy. I gave instructions how to treat him and what to look for (in case of diseases), since it was a day before my departure and I couldn’t continue my daily check-ups. Now I got the news he survived and he has grown to be such a healthy, sweet and handsome cat! — Dr. Bosmat Gal
Cheyenne
What a gorgeous dog! Cheyenne is only six months old but is already quite the “lady’s man” at the shelter. He was dropped off with his mother and 3 siblings. His story shows just how important our ABC programs are. When Cheyenne’s mother gave birth, his “owner”, or guardian as we like to say, didn't see a litter of adorable puppies to raise; he saw more mouths to feed. Unfortunately due to malnourishment two of his siblings died shortly after arriving, but at least Cheyenne is able to live with his mother now at the shelter whom we also took in. Taking this case, had we reached Cheyenne's mother with the ABC program, two lives and much needed space at the shelter would've been saved. One simple surgical procedure or one litter that might get abandoned, die prematurely, or not get enough food to develop into healthy adults. Every little bit helps.
Rahni
Rahni is Hindi for “princess”. When she was a kitten she was adopted by some elderly people but later on they were unable to care for her and returned her to VSPCA. She loves to play with the donated toys if we are lucky enough to get them for her. If you look closely you will see that she is a calico (tricolor) with one leg brown.
Raja
Sponsored by Bonnie Lynn Dunlop until December 27th 2010! Raja (means “King” in Hindi) escaped from the slaughterhouse and of course when we found him we gave him refuge. He was very frightened at the time but has since become calm and regal. VSPCA hopes to get a pond for the water buffalo on our new land someday, as they love to bathe and right now we have no facility to bathe them (though they do get a twice weekly shower and scrub-down.)
Agi Ramudu
Sponsored by Heather Blanchette until September 1st 2010! Agi Ramudu joins our steadily growing stable of horses and has quickly been let into the social circle of our previously-rescued horses, BPHV and Guddi Guram. We found Agi Ramudu abandoned on a beach. He was injured when we found him and believe his owner left him because he was no longer able to work - on a farm, for pony rides, or whatever - a far-too-common practice here in India. Can you imagine abandoning your child because they failed their exams and were unable to graduate? As long as people fail to realize that keeping an animal is a responsibility and not a simple matter of ownership, our shelter will continue to be in danger of overflowing and running out of the necessary resources to care for all our resident animals. Agi Ramudu is now enjoying a happier life, getting to graze daily on the nearby hills.
Little
Sponsored by Susan Ruderman in honor of Dr. Bosmat Gal until December 27th 2010! We would like to thank Leela, one of a growing number of locals who has been touched by our message of animal welfare. She called us when she found Little - named for his adorability - by the side of the road, probably hit by a car. He has been one of the lucky ones and has made a complete recovery, becoming one of the darlings of our shelter. With his positive energy and ability to warm up to people, Little has been become a top candidate to become our next Dr. Paw. It is a program we are hoping to expand, and has truly shown to be a silver lining in the dark cloud of poor treatment of animals which we are battling everyday in Vizag. Former Dr. Paw, Victor, traveled to a local institution for children with mental disabilities. He was very well received and truly furthered our cause with the adults and children, alike. By implementing programs to serve the community, we can turn the negative of animal suffering into a positive.
Chintu
SPONSORED by Shane Ruggieri until August 12th, 2010! Chintu, a darling little rhesus monkey, was found by one of our shelter’s workers after receiving a report that the man keeping her was holding her in cramped conditions and not feeding her properly. She will join the rhesus population at our shelter and we have very high hopes for her future. Because of her youth, we might be able to release her someday. The majority of our monkeys were held in captivity for so long that they have been permanently scarred with little chance of learning the survival skills necessary to return to their rightful homes in the wild. So while we feel fortunate and optimistic about Chintu, the cruelty of monkey handlers in India creates so many cases with much less hope. For now, all we can do is try and muster as many resources as possible to continue to educate the public, expand our network of responsible individuals in the community willing to help, and take care of the animals we are lucky enough to get to in time.
Chinny
Sponsored until April 16th 2011 by Dhyanesh Shah! Admittedly, we don't always know whether an animal that comes to us has been intentionally abandoned or injured. In this regard we are indiscriminate- any animal in need of help is worthy of our care. We exist because of our passion. However, it is a story we see over and over in Vizag. A pet becomes sick and is no longer the perfect companion their owner was looking for. Moreover, their dog, cat, or other pet has now become expensive to care for. When we found Chinny helplessly wandering around, she was in the late stages of pregnancy. Whether she was abandoned or became pregnant by another dog living in the streets, Chinny needed our immediate help or her puppies would have little chance of surviving. Sadly, her three puppies all died shortly after being delivered, most likely from malnutrition. Chinny's story shows how important our birth control mission is. She is now one of the most energetic members of our family. She is happy, healthy and promises to live a long and fulfilling life provided we can continue to give her the proper care.
Three Brothers: Visakha, Valley, and School
If the welfare of animals is going to improve, everyone in society must do their part, however small it may seem. Take Aravaind for example. He is a student at Visakha Valley School. Playing in the schoolyard one day, he heard cries coming from a dumpster. Inside were three kittens. Of all the possible things a child in his position could have done, many of them not so pleasant, he called his mother. She in turn rang us up and we found that the kittens probably hadn't eaten for a couple days. We are grateful to Aravaind and other children who have contributed to our efforts over the years. It just goes to show that everyone should be held accountable for the wellbeing of animals, and the educational programs we are trying to develop should go a long way towards spreading our message of compassion. Sponsor all three kittnes for $30 a month.
Puppy and Kennedy
SPONSORED by Lynnette Bevan until March 2011, for Michelle, in memory of those left behind. We recently welcomed Puppy and Kennedy to our shelter. They both have the personalities of puppies- energetic, happy, and sometimes naughty. With their absolutely loving natures, it is hard to imagine how anyone could abandon them. Their stories reveal an unfortunate reality that exists in India when it comes to animal welfare. India has some of the best laws in the world when it comes to the treatment of animals, heavily influenced by religion and the teachings of Gandhi (true to some degree?). People love animals and many desire their companionship. At the same time, poverty runs very deep. So when the family pet gets sick, medical treatment will take food off the table.
"Puppy" (pictured on the left) was brought to us by a vet who found her tied to a post outside his clinic. She came to us tick-ridden and stricken with a bad case of mange. Our shelter staff found Kennedy (pictured on the right) one day while out on their rounds, also with serious skin disease. With the care of our skilled vets, they are now both perfectly healthy.
In a perfect world, people wouldn't take on the responsibility of caring for an animal if they couldn't afford it. That said, it is better that these animals end up with us than dying on the street or in the corner of someone's home, withering away from disease and starvation. In a near-perfect world, we would have enough space and resources for all the sick, injured, abandoned, and mistreated animals we could possibly rescue. With the continued support of compassionate animal lovers, we will try to get as close to perfection as we can. Sponsor both dogs for $30 a month.
Gajni
Sponsored by Lynnette Bevan until October 28th 2010! Of course, we are thrilled that we have become so much more well-known around Vizag in the past few years. However, in a strange way, this could eventually impede us from offering the best care possible to all the animals that are brought to us. Our shelter is rapidly filling up, and we have been trying to negotiate with the local government and raise the necessary funds to expand our grounds. Gajni was found by the side of the road near our shelter as a small pup and thankfully we were called in to rescue her before anything awful happened to her, such as dying of starvation or a traffic accident. We are truly grateful that there are so many responsible people in Vizag who recognize our name and support our mission, but how long will we be able to offer sufficient care to all our new and longtime residents as more and more animals in trouble are brought to us?
BHPV
Sponsored by Diane Bradbury-Harris until August 3rd 2010! This horse was named after the industrial park where we found him abandoned. Animals have helped make our lives easier for thousands of years, in agriculture for example. When they are treated responsibly, it displays one way that we can coexist harmoniously in modern society. But BHPV’s “employer” didn’t know how to properly fit him with the equipment needed for his job. What?s more, he was overworked and the harness he was wearing continuously dug into his chest, badly injuring him. Unable to perform his job anymore, the owner no longer had any use for him. Devoid of any compassion or sense of responsibility, he “fired” BHPV and left him by the side of the road next to the compound. Our shelter doesn’t have the most ideal facilities for horses, but true to our philosophy of animal welfare, we took him in and our vets worked hard to tend to his wounds. He is now doing remarkably well and has opened up quite a bit, showing us his truly feisty side. We have grown to love him and hope to be able to continue caring for him if we can’t find him a suitable new home.
Sotta
Sponsored by Mamta Chhabra to honour and in memory of Dr. Gyan Chhabra until March 2011! Sotta's near-tragedy and stunning recovery demonstrate the progress that can be achieved when good people cooperate towards the goal of helping animals who are threatened simply living in a world that often seems made for humans. Sotta was run-over by a vehicle in the congested streets of Vizag, leaving her with a badly broken leg. A kindhearted student found her and phoned us. Coincidentally, Bosmat Gal our highly-skilled consultant vet, who is sponsored by Animal Rescue League of Boston to work in India, was at the facility and oversaw Sotta's care. Through a careful rehabilitation program involving repeated tranquilization and redressing of her plasters, Sotta made a full recovery over the period from September 2008 thru early 2009. The cost of medical supplies, food, and the salaries of our staff and local vets — however meager they may seem by Western standards — add up quickly as we continue to carry out our mission.
Anjali
[Sponsored by Derryth Bezuidenhout until July 29, 2011.] Anjali was a street performer, a servant of sorts. In India, many captured monkeys are expected to do just that: obey and perform. We must remember that however common they may be here, monkeys are not domestic animals. Far from a willing participant for her cruel captor, Anjali often refused to perform and became aggressive, baring her sharp teeth at the crowds. In retaliation, her owner removed many of her teeth - her main survival tools. This proved to be ineffective in getting Anjali to cooperate, so in a strange show of compassion he took her to the zoo. Unfortunately, the zoo is not in the "welfare" business and doesn't take in rescued animals. With our reputation as the leading local, grassroots animal welfare organization, the zoo referred the owner to us.
Monkeys are not easy to care for at the shelter. Their mental trauma is often so deep that they don't know how to get along with each other, understandably mistrust our staff, and must be kept separate. But Pradeep was moved by Anjali's story and convinced Sarada, who is like a mother to many of our monkeys, to accept one more orphaned monkey into our family. It is a dilemma faced by all those who rescue wildlife- release them into the wild where they would die for lack of proper survival skills, or care for them for the remainder of their lives in confined and under less than ideal circumstances. All we can hope for is to provide Anjali and other mistreated wildlife with as much love and support as humanly possible.
Drone
This is an unfortunate story where we could rescue him but not his mother during our recent cow rescue. (Please see the dramatic story with photos here.) His mother breathed her last breath due to exhaustion and extreme dehydration while being illegally transported for slaughtering.
He is under very special care with a nutritious diet but was lonely for his Mom. However now he is quickly finding his loneliness disappear in our shelter with a world of love from many more mothers to give him ease and care.
Simhachalam
When he was barely months old, he was surrendered to the Simhachalam Devasthanams. This is the temple on the hill where we have previously rescued over 200 cows. And this is the story of every male calf born to the farmers, who is "offered" by the farmer / devotees to the temple.
Simhachalam was rescued from harsh conditions and would have gone for illegal slaughtering. He has grown into a strong young bull and enjoys our shelter atmosphere.
Chinni
She came to us a pregnant woman. Chinni belonged to a family who used to send her out of the house for her “regular”. There were neighborhood complaints and during one such time she was taken away by the municipality and brought to her shelter.
She is very active and keeps jumping like a spring. All her babies were given away for adoption and Chinni stays with us waiting for better opportunity but if not she has found a permanent abode at VSPCA.
Small Blackie
Sponsored by Gayatri and Sarfraz until April 1, 2011! She originally belonged to a rich person who kept her in a house always tied outside in a verandah. Incidentally, this house was VSPCA's first full fledged office.
We go out with evening feedings of street dogs and one night we found this dog ouside her house crying and since then she was part of our feeding list.
One morning the house boy brought to us Small Blacky with her front leg broken and we admitted her to our shelter. On investigation we found out that the owner while drunk through an empty alcohol bottle at her. So of course we did not send her back there and kept her with us!
Rani
[Sponsored until May 1st 2011 Rajitha Penaka!] Rani was rescued under very dramatic circumstances. A few years ago she escaped the gallows of the butchers and our team found her just in time.
She is a very loving and gentle cow, mingling with all and reaching to all the young ones with her gentleness. She has been aptly named "Rani" - (Queen) because of her approach and personality.
Mushkar
His tender naughtiness and cute mischief led to him being separated from his owner. His original human partner was working in a State Government Road and Buildings Department. Originally an abandoned kitten, he was looked after by his human friend but as he grew up he became very playful and mischievous.
During one morning at the office they found files and other office materials completely scratched and partly destroyed. This led to a lot of anger and furor and Mushkar was brought to us. Since then he has brought in a charming era of the other cats and kittens proudly following him in his antics.
Raisin
[Sponsored for life by a NetAP member!]Her owner abandoned her to the munipality with her five puppies for her to be put down. Fortunately the municipality brought the whole family to us and we adopted out her puppies. This sweetie is a very friendly dog to all at the shelter.
Mommy
She was brought in with five of her puppies based on an SOS call of abandonment. We presume that she was left by her owner when she became pregnant. Now that the puppies have been given for adoption she behaves like a "Mommy" to the other dogs.
Milky White
Sponsored by Jody Israelsky until April 4th 2011! She lost her way and could not locate her house. This is near Jagadamba Junction. In the heart of the city, she was found in a very erratic manner desperately feeding her way in and out of traffic.
She ultimately met with an accident being hit after which we were called but no owner ever came forth. She has since recovered and now she is with us enjoying the second phase of her life.
Lab
[Sponsored by Meera Rao until December 2, 2010!] Lab, who is 6 years old, is our actual lab assistant to our vets as he supervisors them from the chair of the laboratory — hence his name “Lab”. One leg is limp due to an accident — this dog has come to our fold by virtue of being run over by a jeep. Instead of treating him he was abandoned and left on the street to fend for himself by his disgraceful owners. Generally this type of breed, whenever they contact any minor curable disease, they are simply abandoned on the streets. Such dogs who has been brought up with much love and affection and comfort knowing the limitations, leaving them to fend for themselves in the harsh weather without any food and water is a most painful suffering and a crime on the part of owners. This dog does not have to go back to the streets now and happy at our shelter for the past 2 years.
Jagadamba
One evening while on her way to the shelter, Sarada (Shelter Manager) stopped to feed some hungry dogs, then got into the ambulance to go to her office which is 4 kms away. But to her surprise this particular dog seemed to want to be with the VSPCA and kept following the vehicle through the busy main road. She had no option but to take him to the shelter. 5 years old, Jagadamba seems to speak with eloquence and varying pitch. She actually speaks!
Guddi Guram (“blind horse”)
Sponsored by Ellen Maher, in memory of Mr. Daly of NYC and Fairfield, CT, until December 1st, 2010 Sometimes we tend to forget that many animals are forced into non-stimulating and often solitary lives, strictly for our entertainment. Guddi Guram is a half-blind,old horse who was used at weddings and festivals to carry people around in the hot Indian sun. We were constantly warning its owner that Guddi had passed the “retirement” age for horses.
Eventually, this strenuous labor was taking its toll and we seized her before she would have collapsed. She is one of 3 wonderful horses who have joined our extensive family of dogs, birds, cattle, monkeys, cats and others. If we find animals in trouble, we will do all we can to give them all better lives, regardless of what type of animal they are, or how they were mistreated by people.
The Crows of VSPCA
[Ongoing sponsorship by Michelle Harrington and family, in remembrance, honor and love of their strong brave-hearted dog Zeus.] The first time I was at the shelter, being lovingly attacked by mobs of dogs hoping I had biscuits in my pockets, I was very surprised to see crows landing on the volunteers’ shoulders for morsels of food. Crows? A harbinger of evil in many cultures across the world, at VSPCA they are just one more creature that fit harmoniously into our haven for animals of all kinds who we are trying to give a better life. As with all our residents, the crows have come here due to some tragedy that befell them, before they were luckily found by one of our hardworking employees. Crows, some of the most intelligent members of the bird world, will stay with humans throughout their lives if taken care of from a very young age. To some people, crows may not be the most desirable house guests, but to us they are family.
The Original Blackie
[Sponsored by Bonnie Lynn Dunlop until December 13th 2010] The original Blackie has a very funny story. We took him in after getting complaints from the city about his "vicious" behavior. We sterilized and vaccinated him and his demeanor was fine so we released him. Twice more the city called us. It seems the only place Blackie is happy is in our dog paradise. He adopted our night watchman and follows him home 2 km every morning. When the watchman goes out on errands, Blackie comes to the shelter to look for him, eats lunch, and returns home or waits all day for the watchman, patrolling the shelter himself. He is our only four-legged volunteer.
Blackie
[Sponsored until October 23rd 2010 by Meenakshi Singh!] Not so long ago, the owner of the cutest little black Pomeranian puppy brought her to our shelter with a badly broken leg. She had fallen down a hill. We would nurse the puppy back to health and return it to him. Some days later, a lady who worked at the Pomeranian's house came by to check on Blackie's condition. She told us the ugly truth about Blackie's leg. The owner had come home drunk one night and threw a bottle at the puppy. We decided that Blackie deserved a better caretaker. Now Blackie has many loving caretakers and a bunch of brothers and sisters!
The Parrots of VSPCA
Sponsored until May 22, 2011 by Pat Latas, DVM of the Arizona Bird Clinic, in memory of Cecil B. who taught her about the soul of birds. Perhaps the well-known phrase, “as free as a bird”, refers to the liberating feeling that comes from knowing you can do whatever you wish, whether man or beast. In other words, if an animal chooses, of its own will, to stay in the companionship of humans, then perhaps it’s actually free. Well, it’s no doubt freer than an animal that has been kept in decrepit and inhumane conditions by cruel people trying to turn a small profit. All of the parrots who have successfully recovered from such early hardships fly away to explore the world outside of our sanctuary. Mithoo is a lone exception. She has called the lush trees which surround the aviary her home since her release eight years ago. What’s more, she prefers to be hand-fed by our shelter manager, Sarada. The ultimate goal of VSPCA is to improve the welfare of all animals, at risk or not. The wonderful thing about our bird population is that there is no imminent danger of overcrowding. As long as the shelter can afford the guava, peanuts, and corn to put in Sarada’s hand, we will continue to make VSPCA a haven for Mithoo and all her feathery cousins.
The White Mice and Guinea Pigs of VSPCA
We put the phrase "all creatures big and small" into action. Our shelter is also home to white mice and guinea pigs. These cute and often misunderstood animals were rescued from an exhibition where they were all packed into a tiny cage for the visitors to come and see. This is a very nerve racking situation for the little guys, and they surely deserve better treatment. After a confrontation, we were able to take charge of the mice and guinea pigs, who now live in much better conditions along with the other animals at the shelter. Sponsor all of these guys below!
Babu
[Sponsored until October 16th 2010 by Derryth Bezuidenhout!] Babu's story is one of right place, right time. Passing a truck stopped by the side of the road, a worker in our rescue mobile saw the driver beating a monkey. The monkey had torn up a wad of its owner's money. In his anger, the driver willingly gave us the monkey. When we got Babu, his ears were pierced and his teeth stained yellow from tobacco. When Babu came to the shelter six years ago, we didn't have any proper monkey enclosures and he loved playing with the dogs and cats. After we took more monkeys in he didn't get along with them. Being the biggest and naughtiest monkey at our shelter, he has his own cage to keep him from getting into fights. He's a cheeky little monkey but we love him just the same!
Twin Tortoises
[Sponsored by Ethan and Dylan Harrington until February 9th, 2011!] One of the newer enclosures at the shelter is our space for star tortoises. They are just one of the endangered animals of India shamelessly poached for their meat and other body parts. One day a man who came to do some repair work at the shelter noticed the tortoise enclosure. Learning of this animal's dire situation, he told us that he had noticed some boys in his village using some baby star tortoises as marbles. This story is a bit innocent and cute, but the usual circumstances under which these animals are found is not as laughable. We now have 19 star tortoises, both children and adults, in a lovely shaded, grassy area awaiting favorable circumstances for their release.
James Blonde
[Sponsored through October 2010, in memory of Ossie.] Once the picture of utter dejection, James Blonde is transforming before our very eyes since his rescue. Found in a terrified heap, infested with ticks and only days away from death by starvation, he now comes out to play, is putting on weight and even lets himself be petted. James Blond has proven to be such a charmer that even protective Mama is perfectly content to have him out in the courtyard with her six pups. He is a perfect example of how a dog will bloom when treated with love and care. Have a look at the happy fellow, and please consider sponsoring this lovely chap so his needs will be taken care of and those resources used to save other precious creatures like him.
Trooper
[Sponsored through October 2010, in memory of Ossie.] Found emaciated and left to starve in a filthy kennel in a yard in Andhra Pradesh, “Trooper” was rescued and brought to the VSPCA by a concerned citizen. Initially vicious when approached, Trooper has turned into a veritable love sponge; his favourite thing in the world is to play with people. Just watch the video of him horsing around with one of his favourite humans soon after his rescue. Now neutered, vaccinated and dewormed, Trooper is rapidly gaining strength and putting on weight. He has joined the large family of permanent animal residents at the VSPCA and eagerly awaits a sponsor to cover the costs of his care.
Lilly
Sponsored by Mamta Chhabra in memory of Tanya until April 2011! Lilly's owner abandoned him when he discovered that Lilly was blind. We were more than happy to give him a home. Yes, Lilly is a male. When everybody at the shelter first laid eyes on Lilly, they assumed that he was a female due to his white fluffy feminine looks and his gender was not officially checked until later. The name caught on fast and Lilly accepted it as his own. After medical tests, Lilly was confirmed to be completely blind and we were unable to find him a new home. Lilly has capitalized on his hearing, and after a shaky start now manages to find his way around the shelter. He also has a great personality to match and is an angel like he looks. On a visit to the shelter, it is hard not to notice him.
Murthi
[Sponsored through October 2010, in memory of Ossie.] Murthi was picked up inresponse to an emergency call. When he was rushed to the shelter, he was in critical condition. Murthi’s lower jaw had been shattered from a very hard impact. AFter he had been attended to by our vets, we returned to the area where the “accident” had taken place to ask the people living there how this happened. The story we got from them was of Murthi running into a train, but our vets’ diagnostic points in another direction. The injury was immense and Murthi’s jaw had to be wired in order to keep it in place. It has been a while since the accident and Murthi has coped with his injury well. The shelter is going to be Murthi’s home forever, where he is always under the watchful eye of the people who love him.
Lucky
[Sponsored until June 13th 2011 by Rob de Valera!] As difficult as it is to understand why people treat animals poorly, we know that this world will never be free from cruelty. VSPCA works very hard to help as many animals as we can and it is encouraging when we approach this goal with the assistance of the community. Lucky was found tied to this tree with all this garbage all around, presumably by his owner. As if abandoning an animal in 40°C (100°+ F) heat isn’t bad enough, tying it up so that it can’t search for food or shelter is inexcusable. The next day, a shop-keeper found the dog and fed it for a week before calling us. We are so grateful to the shopkeeper for caring for the dog when he had no obligation to do so. Sadly, the dog problem in Visakhapatnam is so overwhelming that the shelter is quickly becoming overcrowded. So it so important for Lucky and all the other dogs at the shelter and in our city that everyone pitches in to make this world a better place for our animal companions.
Yuvraj
[Sponsored until April 26th 2011 by Allison Sarkar!] If you are ever fortunate enough to visit our shelter, you may wonder why many of the animals which seem so happy and healthy are there in the first place. They were all sick, injured, abused, or abandoned at one time. The sad fact is that many people in India either don't want a sick pet or simply don't have the money to care for them. When Yuvraj, or “Prince,” was brought to us, he was one of 31 abandoned kittens and cats with a serious disease affecting their lungs. With the loving care of the vets and volunteers to whom we are so grateful, you can see that Yuvraj, along with all the other cats, were cured and are destined to live a long and and happy life at the shelter. We definitely plan on treating him like a prince!
Ram and Rahim
Though there are many more beautiful cows at VSPCA that still need your help! Unfortunately, many of the ancient festivals in India involve traditions which excuse acts of cruelty towards animals, even if illegal. Because some of these practices are hundreds or thousands of years old, villagers and local authorities do not always sympathize with our protests. As Eid (the Muslim festival that marks the end of Ramadan and the month of fasting) approached, a man saw two young men walking down the road with two bulls, bloodied from beatings and mistreatment. Apparently, after years of loyal service the bulls had been sold and were on the way to a local illegal slaughterhouse. This man reported these transporters to the police. The police, as is too often the case in these situations, looked the other way. While the people who get paid to deal with these problems (or sometimes paid to NOT deal with them) often have other priorities, we are known in the area for going above and beyond the call of duty for the welfare of animals. The heroic, concerned citizen called us and we took the bulls to our shelter and their new family of over 650 cattle. We have named them Ram (Hindu) and Rahim (Muslim), which translates to Peace and Integrity.
Tabu
[Sponsored by Rajitha Penaka until May 1, 2011!] Tabu’s story truly demonstrates how cruel some people can be to animals and why our shelter must exist in the first place. A little more than a year ago, a van approached the entrance of our shelter. Some of the workers approached the van to greet it. The door opened and a beautiful black and brown dog, not so big at the time, flew onto the dusty road leading to the front gate. The owner took off. Knowing that Tabu is a pure breed, we can only assume that the owner was appalled by his crooked legs and didn't want such an animal. We were glad to welcome Tabu before the owner had a chance to do anything even more horrible to him.
Tiffin
[Sponsored by Emelye Crehore until December 15th 2010!] Taking in injured animals is always a little bittersweet. Bitter in that they were injured, often by cruel and thoughtless people, but sweet because we found them before further harm could be done. Our workers found Tiffin being attacked by the side of the road- by dogs.- and his back legs were (thankfully) only slightly injured. Now thinks everyone is his mother. When a worker enters the cat house, they really have to be careful not to step on Tiffin as he follows them around. We cannot release motherless babies, as we do the healthy adults dogs and cats, back into the neighborhood where we found them. Tiffin awaits adoption but is honing his feline instincts with the other 37 cats in the meantime.
Taffy
[Sponsored until April 26th 2011 by Allison Sarkar!] Cruelties in the pet trade in Asia are not only limited to endangered species. While on patrol in one of the local markets notorious for illegal sales of restricted species, one of our workers found a little bundle in a dustbin. While we don't know the background of Taffy's abandonment, an increasing trend in this part of India reveals a disgusting practice. Dogs are much preferred over cats as pets in India. So, many of the cats sold in markets are not really for companionship- they are being sold for food. When nobody is buying, the cat is no longer needed. Whether this was Taffy's story or not, much of our feline family has been rescued from dustbins. Taffy has been with us for about two and a half years now.
Milky
[Sponsored for life by Monica Amesty!] One of our sharp-eyed drivers spotted little Milky when he was about 4 months old by the side of the road. At that time, about 4 years ago, he had avery bad eye infection. After some antibiotics and other routine remedies, the eye still didn't heal that well. Finally, the eye was so bad that the only option was to perform surgery and remove the eyeball altogether. Milky had to be kept in his own cage for 2 months, to protect his eye from other cats' claws while the eye healed. Milky will live out his remaining eight lives in the safety of our shelter, where his sight problem cannot endanger him.
Billy
In India, manu monkeys are thought of as pets, profit, or pests. About a year ago, we were called down to the police station. When we arrived, there was a little girl and her monkey in the holding cell! The monkey had been trained to steal people's cell phones, which the villagers then sold. The girl and Billy were both released, and we adopted one of them. Billy came to our shelter and has proven to be quite crafty even when not picking pockets. Although only here for a year so far, Billy seems accustomed to the way of life at VSPCA, which he teaches to the younger monkeys who he shares a cage with. However, as with all our wild animals, we hope that Billy can soon return to his rightful home in the forest.
Bannu
Sponsored by Rob Arnold October 23rd, 2010! While one of our workers was visiting her friend's home, she noticed her friend was keeping two birds. Chinnu and Bannu were loose in the small house but were not flying around so much. When asked where the birds were kept at night, the owner pointed to a tiny cage. The dog in the house didn't like the birds, especially, and was harassing them during their "free" time. It was also stealing their food and the birds were malnourished. After some convincing, the owner let us take the birds. Chinnu and Bannu sat right next to each other and noisily chatted like boyfriend and girlfriend. One day, Chinnu got sick but recovered well after a week. When he relapsed, Chinnu passed away. Bannu was very lonely for a long time but eventually took a liking to our shelter manager, Sarada. Bannu doesn't mix with any of the other birds, but lets her foster mother handfeed her!
Sponsor the feeding of all the animals at the sanctuary for rs. 15,459, or $371 (USD) for one day to honor a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary, or memorial. You tell us which day to commemorate with your donation!