Tsunai update as on Feb 2, 2005

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TSUNAMI UPDATE AS ON FEB 2, 2005

 

From S. Chinny Krishna

Blue Cross of India and

Co-ordinator WSPA India Relief Operations

 

Except for feeding of cattle at the Nagapattinam cattle relief camps, being

looked after by Mr. Dhanpalan, Honorary Secretary of Nagapattinam SPCA, our

immediate relief activities have been now replaced by the medium term to long

term relief work made necessary by the animals recsued by us.

 

The animals rescued by Clementien Pauws and taken to Puttaparthi are all doing

well.

 

The large number of rescued animals as well as the ones surrendered by people,

saying they found them in the neighbourhood, have made things even more

difficult at our Guindy centre.

 

A rescued pig and her litter of eight piglets occupy a large area behind our

cattle shed; rescued dogs occupy every available step on the staircases and the

recent rains in Chennai have sent all the dogs normally in the four-acre shelter

scurrying in for a roof over their heads!

 

During the last five weeks, the Chennai municipality have resumed their cattle

catching drive and we are now flooded with over a hundred cattle found roaming

on the streets of Chennai.

 

When we heard of the problems in Arugum Bay in Sri Lanka and the very real

possibility of the dogs there which had survived the tsunami facing death due to

an unfounded rabies scare, we volunteered the services of our Chief Vet, Dr. T.

P. Sekar who has been there since the 28th of January and will be there till the

6th of February. The Blue Cross is co-ordinating the visit of eight vets from

India to Sri Lanka to work on this project. Kim Bartlett of Animal People has

raised the funds for this from Petsmart Charities and others including her own

contribution. This will also enable our vets to learn and study about same-day

release after spaying.

 

WSPA have sent a further donation of $15,000 for the relief work in this part of

the world and also committed a sum of 40,000 pounds over a 2-year period for a

mobile clinic and staffing and running expenses.

 

Animal People have done a magnificient job in raising money for tsunami animals

for the Blue Cross, Vishaka SPCA, SOS Wildlife, Soi Dog Foundation in Thailand

and The Sri Lanka Coalition led by Robert Blumberg as well as for the HSI led

spay and vaccination programme in Arugum Bay.

 

The Animal Welfare Board of India have sanctioned special grants totalling

Rs.1.36 million (over $30,000) to the Indian groups involved from their " Natural

Calamities Fund " .

 

I had mentioned earlier and I would like to emphasize once again that now that

the media glare is no longer on the tsunami and its aftermath (except in the

Andamans), it is all the more important that the work carry on and medium and

long term work for the animals be taken up.

 

In this connection, I would like to mention that WSPA have agreed to fund and

conduct a workshop on disaster relief in August (likely dates 8-11) at

Bangalore. Dr. Abdul Rahman of the Commonwealth Veterinary Association and I are

working with Mr. Gerardo Huertas of WSPA on the details of this workshop.

 

-end of update-