Visit to Animal Shelter

I have written many posts of the wonderful service of the Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue Shelter. Yesterday Philipe Felix from Holland (participant of the Padma and Torsten Retreat Group currently staying at Sri Nannagaru Ashram), and I visited the Animal Shelter. 

Philipe an animal lover, who has four Jack Russell Dogs at his native place was touched by what he saw at the Shelter. It is a no-kill faciity and currently home to 75 dogs who as they are either injured or tramautised are unable to fend for themselves. The Sanctuary is also temporary home to a floating population of around another 75 dogs who have come for sterlisation procedures or are under temporary residential care for mange and other chronic skin and health problems. 

Below I have embedded a stirring video from the Shelter entitled, “Rebirth of Satya” which charts the transformation of a desperately ill dog into one full of health and vitality and who now lives a joyous life with the Indian family that adopted her. [Warning: graphic images of Satya’s skin condition at beginning of video]. 

Rebirth of Satya 

Transformation of the life of dog at Tiruvannamalai 

Hope to soon post photos of the group’s visit to Arunachaleswarar Temple where they met and fed Rukku the Temple Elephant. Please check back.

Squirrel Drama

Had a drama in my house a couple of days ago. One or several of my darling doggies killed a squirrel in the house. I have a popular squirrel nesting spot in a light fixture in the dining room. Previously a nesting squirrel made a hole in the wire mesh of one of the windows (which I have left to allow unrestricted access for visiting nesting mothers). From the hole squirrel Mom jumps onto the window ledge, then door ledge then into the nest. Have watched the leap on several occasions and its surprisingly easy for adult squirrels to get in and out of the nest. 

Nest that was in the light fixture

One of the rescued baby squirrels

Have no idea why the squirrel got caught on the ground of my house, when she should have been swinging freely in the air, but done to death she was. Had quite a nasty turn when I came home and found her sprawled inert on the floor next to my bed – with my naughtiest dog Winnie looking VERY pleased with herself. 

What's better than one baby squirrel -- two little 'uns

The next day I heard squeaking from the nest. Called in a local handyman to climb a ladder and rescue the baby squirrels. Found two healthy but hungry little ones in the nesting box. The next day after getting permission from the Animal Hospital took them to the Sanctuary. Happy to report both baby squirrels are in good health. 

Dr Raju with squirrel nest inside cardboard box

Animal Sanctuary Homam, January 2014

Last week I attended a puja at the Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue Shelter. The Sanctuary is located very close to Ramana Ashram, and I urge all animal lovers to visit the Sanctuary during their stay at Tiruvannamalai. Their presence has led to a great improvement in animal care in this area and in particular dog numbers nowadays are managed by neutering operations rather than by the previous regular and inhumane methods of culling. The Tiruvannamalai community is grateful to the presence of this Sanctuary, which currently houses over 150 dogs, for its work with both domestic and farm animals.

 

Shelter at foot of Arunachala

Inside the Animal Sanctuary

Dr. Raju, senior Veterinary Doctor at Shelter

Dr. Kamala Pattu, Veterinary Doctor at Shelter

Permanent Altar at entrance of Shelter

Puja inside examination room, puppy below peeping in

Puja Table

Preparations for start of Homam at Shelter

Leslie Robinson, Shelter Founder and Vishwa, Shelter Manager

Homam at Shelter

January 10 -- Puja at Animal Shelter

If you are in Arunachala this coming Friday (January 10, 2014) at around 5.30 p.m. do come and attend the puja that will be performed at the Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue Centre about one kilometre west on the Chengham Road after Ramana Ashram.

I will be attending the puja and will post photographs of the event shortly thereafter. The Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue Centre does extraordinary work with animals, please visit their website at this link here to find out more about them.

Monkey House

This morning I visited the Animal Shelter to consult with its chief veterinarian, Dr. Raju about one of my own dogs.

Animal Shelter with Arunachala

While there I visited the two cows who recently had operations, a horse recuperating from years of neglect, two orphan bonnet macaque monkeys living in the shelter since the death of their mother and of course some nearly 150 dogs either permanently living at the shelter or temporarily resident during treatment and/or sterilization.













I have written many times about the remarkable work done by the Animal Shelter and you can view some earlier postings here and here.

The Animal Shelter was originally intended to treat only homeless dogs. But subsequently many dogs are brought in after road accidents or serious illnesses. In addition an increasingly large number of “owner dogs/pets” are being brought in the Shelter for treatment.

Before the shelter opened there were no small animal specialists within 75 kms of Tiruvannamalai. As the reputation of the Shelter has grown, more and more “owner dogs” are being brought in for treatment. In addition there is an ongoing ABC Sterilization activity at the clinic and around 300 dogs brought to the clinic monthly for treatment.

Current monkey cage

Raja, the monkey's best friend

As well as dogs other animals treated by the shelter (which is open seven days a week plus special emergency services), includes: cats, birds, cows, calves, goats, horses, bullocks, donkeys, pigs, monkeys, squirrels, rabbits, eagles, parrots, peacocks, deer and snakes.

Almost all Shelter services are provided free of cost. However people with owner dogs are asked to pay a small amount, but in the case of financial difficulties, their dogs are given free care. There is no charge for homeless dogs. And to encourage adoption, free medical treatment (and family planning) is provided for life for dogs or puppies adopted from the Shelter.

Of particular concern to me this day was the welfare of two dear orphan monkeys (one of whom is recovering from a broken arm) and the obvious restriction of their small cage. The wish of the Shelter is to construct a cage of around 10 by 15 feet for convalescing monkeys, located inside a quiet area of the Shelter, far from barking doggies.

Size of proposed new monkey shelter

There have previously been many monkeys residing at the shelter. In an earlier posting I wrote about two juvenile monkeys who had been recuperating at the Shelter and were on that day going to a new life at an Animal Refuge specialising in the rehabilitation of monkeys into their natural environment at the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.

Quiet spot for monkey shelter

Please visit the Arunachala Animal Shelter website to read more about the wonderful work of the Arunachala Animal Shelter and also learn about how to make a donation so that perhaps current and future monkeys staying at the shelter can have a large and comfortable environment in which to recuperate and recover.

Hope and Healing, Animal Sanctuary

We are always happy to update information on the wonderful work the Arunachala Animal Sanctuary is undertaking here at Tiruvannamalai. To read the following article about the shelter entitled ‘Hope and Healing’ please visit this link in the National Newspaper, The Hindu.

The Sanctuary is located a 5 minute walk from Ramana Ashram, just off Chengam Road (Girivalam roadway). Those at the Shelter are always happy to show interested persons around their facilities, so consider dropping by and learning more about the excellent service they extend to animals of this area.

Their own website, with information, case histories and photographs can be found at this link here.

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I myself happily adopted an abused, destitute animal from the Shelter and below provide my own before and after snaps to show just how BIG a difference the Shelter is making in the lives of our sweet brethren.

Victor Before

Victor Today

I Need A Home

Pooja is a young dog living at the Tiruvannamalai Animal Sanctuary and for whom they are eager to find a calm, peaceful home. She is around a year old and is a Dalmatian mix. Pooja is medium size and slender and has been living at the Sanctuary nearly since birth.She was born blind and was soon thrown out onto the steet as a puppy by the owners of the Mother dog.

On arriving at the Animal Sanctuary, Dr. Raja (the veterinary surgeon) tried treating Pooja’s eyes but soon discovered that there exists no treatment that would restore her sight. At the beginning of her life at the Sanctuary, Pooja lived in a room off the verandah with a high board partition closing off the room. To keep her company some young puppies shared her room. After about a month with developing confidence, the gate closing off her room was opened and Pooja ventured onto the open verandah with many of the other residential dogs.

Leslie Robinson, Director and Founder of The Tiruvannamalai
Animal Sanctuary with young Pooja

To begin with the other dogs were harsh with Pooja but quickly they began to understand that her clumsiness (like stepping on top of their heads whilst sleeping) was due to her blindness. Now all her companion dogs are very patient and loving towards here. The Animal Sanctuary are looking for a sweet home for young, blind Pooja. Perhaps an older settled person with no kids would like to welcome this sweet young dog into their life. Why not come at visit her at the Animal Sanctuary on Chengam Road next to the Arts College – half a kilometre west of Ramana Ashram.



You can really make a difference in the life of a dear animal. Below is my own sweet Victor (one of my six doggies) who I adopted from the Animal Sanctuary some time back. The before photograph was taken soon after he was confiscated from his owners and the next photograph, 18 months later during one of our daily walks and swims at Samudram Erie.

Victor Before

Victor After

A New Life

A beautiful morning at the Animal Sanctuary nestled at the feet of Arunachala.

And below the monkey cage which by the time you read this will be completely empty.

And here is one sweet monkey, unknowingly saying goodbye.

And the younger female monkey is being embraced on what will be her last day at the Sanctuary.

Goodbye little dear.

And all Dr. Raju will have to remember you by is your favourite toy -- a little monkey.

Late yesterday night the monkeys were sedated and taken by van on a journey -- one that would take nearly 10 hours by road. They were accompanied by a friend and worker from the Sanctuary and were on their way to a new life of freedom. The daylight breaks at the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.

And the monkeys' new life begins.

For nearly a year these two young female bonnet macaque monkeys have resided at the Animal Sanctuary at Tiruvannamalai while gradually recovering from traumatic incidents in their lives. One of the monkeys became paralysed after a bout of tetanus and the other was injured from her time with street performers.

While gradually returning to full health their home has been a cage at the Sanctuary but after they were both given a clean bill of health, the Animal Sanctuary arranged their relocation to an Animal Refuge bordering the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nilgris District of Tamil Nadu.

The young monkeys will spend time at the Animal Refuge while being slowly educated into living a free and independent life within the Wildlife Sanctuary. And what a time they’ll have as the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is 321 sq kms and comprises flat land, open grassland, lakes, valleys and swamp. A New Wonder-filled Life.

Dancing Bear

Local animal officials here at Tiruvannamalai were recently notified that two sloth dancing bears are currently performing for the public in a village about 20 kms distant. It is expected that local animal officials from Tiruvannamalai with the appropriate organisation will work to rescue the bears and transport them to the nearest bear rescue facility.

As well as an inhumane barbaric custom, bear dancing is also illegal and if you ever see a 'dancing bear' while travelling in India, please get in touch with Wildlife SOS, the India Bear Rescue Organisation at:

email wsos@vsnl.com or phone : 09837042266

To get full information about the rescue facilities that are now home to the bears and where you will be able to visit and spend time with some of these beautiful creatures. Check out Wildlife SOS's link at:

http://www.wildlifesos.org/IBR/bearhome.htm

Thus far 491 bears have been rescued from a life of suffering and torture.

undisturbed sloth bear

The Cruelty Behind The Dancing Bear Spectacle

“Qalandars, a nomadic gipsy tribe date themselves and the origin of bear dancing back to the 13th century and the pre- Mughal era. Qalandars gained prominence as the royal entertainers in the courts of the Mughal emperors where they also performed magic tricks and staged wrestling bouts. Once the emperors and kingdoms became history, they started to perform 'Bear dancing' for the general public.

Domestic and international visitors to India would often see these bear dancers on the highway between Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Today, about 800 dancing bears are performing on the streets across the country. In India, bear dancing is banned by the Wildlife Protection act 1972. But various socio-economic and political factors have made it a difficult task to implement this law.

Qalandars purchase the sloth bear cubs from tribal poachers/traders and then train them to dance and respond to commands using the crude tools of pain and fear. At the tender age of just six months, a crude iron needle is heated and driven through their muzzle without anesthesia or any other antibiotic, and a rough rope is pulled through the sensitive swollen muzzle. This agony of grossly swollen muzzles and torn tissues together with a fair amount of beating and systematic starvation usually teaches the bears who the master is. The bears live the rest of their lives at the end of a four foot long rope and with no stimulation at all, thus causing several mental and stereotypical symptoms. Male cubs are also castrated at a very young age to keep their owners safe, again crudely by use of a razor, without anesthesia or antibiotics. Canine teeth are removed when one year old, by knocking them out with a metal rod.

For the rest of its life, the bear will dance on the road to earn money for the Qalandar. The wound on the muzzle will never heal and often be infested with maggots. Most of the bears will "bear" the suffering only for a few years since they will die due to Tuberculosis, Leptrospirosis or Rabies. We have noted that a large number of dancing bears are blind due to malnutrition but were still being used by the Qalandars for dancing.”

[Taken from the Wildlife S.O.S Website]

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For more information of the Dancing Bear please check out the excellent organisation International Animal Rescue which is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of suffering animals. You can read a full PDF report of the Dancing Bear and watch a video of its sad life at this link here.