HL: 1,082 animals rescued from April-September

Deepti Acharya

As per the six-monthly report issued recently, Plants and Animal Welfare Society (Paws), an NGO from Dombivli, has rescued 1,082 animals from Thane district from April-September 2009.
With veterinary camps and anti-rabies drive conducted by Paws every alternate Sunday, close to 406 animals have benefitted. Of the 209 domestic animals rescued, 157 were stray dogs, 57 were pups, 17 cats, 12 cattle, three rabbits and two kittens.
Nilesh Bhanage, founder, Paws, said, "The cases of animal, bird or wild life rescue are on the rise from summer to the end of monsoon. The complaints reduce in winter owing to the hibernation period of animals."
Reported under the wildlife rescue is the case of 86 birds, 280 snakes, three monkeys, two squirrels, turtles, scorpions and lizards. The wild animals are freed in the forests, with due acknowledgment from the forest range officer, within 24 hours of their rescue. "So far, Paws has been conducting wildlife rescue only in Kalyan-Dombivli area. But, we soon plan to branch out to Thane as well," he added. "Also, the fact that people have become more aware of rescue of snakes, help us in carrying out their rescue operations instead of seeing them get killed."
The domestic animals that are rescued are shifted to shelter homes, given for adoption, hospitalised if need arises or treated on the spot. According to the report, while four domestic animals were adopted, 41 were given medical help.
a_deepti@dnaindia.net

Box: The report states
Number of wildlife rescue: 348
Number of domestic rescue: 290
Number of animals/birds/reptiles benefitted from Paws: 1,082
Number of animals benefitted from camps and drives: 406
Number of animals benefitted from vaccination: 38
Number of animals given first aid: 444
Helpline number of Paws for animal, bird and reptile rescue: 9820161114