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Maharashtra’s “largest” animal rescue op underway: dogs, cows, civets... and cobras
In what appears to be one of the biggest animal rescue operations during a natural calamity in Maharashtra, hundreds of volunteers and animal rescue workers have travelled to flood-affected areas.
At least one lakh people have been displaced, with many of them taking shelter in thousands of relief camps across the district. What is striking, is how hundreds of animals are also being rescued in the affected areas.
In what appears to be one of the biggest animal rescue operations during a natural calamity in Maharashtra, hundreds of volunteers and animal rescue workers have travelled to flood-affected areas.
The animal rescue team has been formed by independent volunteers and animal lovers from Kolhapur, along with the NDRF and government of Maharashtra rescue teams.
“We are getting 100 calls a day on our helpline. We are working 24 hours to help save these creatures. So far 200 dogs, animals - wild as well as domestic - have been rescued and treated. We found two rare species of black soft shell Indian turtle dead, but they had laid 50 eggs, of which some are kept in an incubator. Animals like wild cat, civet; bats; and snakes like cobra have been rescued,” says Dr Santosh Walvekar, a veterinary officer in Kolhapur.
As waters rose, most people tethered pets and left. “That became a problem. Many tethered animals just drowned. These animals are natural swimmers, and it is better to keep them free so they can swim to higher ground,” says Deepak Oswal, a volunteer who helped rescued at least 100 animals in Kolhapur.
In Prayag Chikali village, rescue workers found 200 cattle tethered in small sheds. These were taken to higher ground.
In Manervadi, Shirol and Kurundwad tehsils of Kolhapur, cattle are being shifted to the roofs of houses and villagers with rescue team go in boats to feed these animals everyday. “There’s a genuine love for dogs in the state, contrary to public perception. Otherwise we wouldn’t have found so many dogs in people’s homes. Our team is encountering many animals who have perished. However, we are still finding abandoned dogs and rescued 15 today (Sunday),” says animal lover and social activist Abhijeet Lokhande.
“So many animals have died, we can’t imagine. The rescue animals are ill too, they have been affected to the core,” adds Rajendra Ganpule, wild life enthusiast.
“We are bracing ourselves for when the floods subside and we can finally access some of the areas currently totally cut off, where we may find more animals,” says Raj Korgaokar, volunteer and animal lover.
“200+ cattle are being taken care of at Gurudatta sugar factory, Shirala. The sugar factory has provided a shed for all the flood affected cattle and we are providing food,” says Varun Jain, another volunteer.
Social media is awash with dramatic rescue videos: a rescuer removing his life jacket and putting it on a dog to help it swim to higher ground; drenched dogs being taken out of flooded homes and kennels; and country boats and inflatable rafts carrying dogs, goats and cats to safety. Rescuers have waded through water, and travelled on boats and rafts to treat, feed and rescue hundreds of animals - dogs, cats, goats, cows, cattle, ducks, and even snakes - as the waters have begun receding. Trucks with animal feed and medicines are now reaching the affected districts.
