Having a heart and soul for animals

A city that takes care of its animals, tells a lot about itself. When the floods hit Chennai, volunteers were not only helping humans but many of them spent hours doing the back-breaking job of rescuing animals. Humans can call for help but what to do animals do? Humans can express their pain, but how do animals express their woes.? I had been on the field before Diwali to rescue both people and humans. Be it stray animals, pets or cattle, we rescued and fed as many as we could. During Diwali, we worked in the areas like Mogappair, Kelambakkam, Guduvanchery etc. 

But things became worse later and the magnitude of the disaster was much more. We had to step and cover more areas. We had no time for a break we worked for over 18 hours saving and feeding as many animals as possible. Initially we didn’t have a boat, we’d go on two wheelers.  We not just rescued, but also ensured they were healthy, as like humans, they are also vulnerable to diseases. In certain areas, we took veterinary doctors along with us. We would have rescued and fed over 1,000 animals. However, we do not have an exact count. Though the water has receded, we still have to do a lot for the animals.

If you have an experience to share, as an on-field volunteer during Chennai floods, write to us at contact us. dtnext@dt.co.in with a picture. We will feature your story.