Dear Minka,
Much thanks to both of you for extending support. The transfer I guess will take some days. Will issue the receipt once the amount is received. Meanwhile, I would like to share with
you our plans for the future. We are trying to approach companies in India as well, though nothing has materialized so far.
1)24 hr vet clinic- at West fort
While we rescue a large number of animals in various forms of distress and treat them at our shelter, we always ensure that the animals are sterilized and vaccinated before they are
released back onto the streets. Getting dates for the sterilization surgeries at the veterinary clinics is difficult and we decided to start our own operation theatre in our
animal shelter at Kolangattukara. The theatre was built with donations from Sreejith Kesavan, Leo Group and donations from Milaap, an online platform for fundraising.We have
conducted around 80 sterilization procedures there.
We plan to shift the operation theatre facility to the town so that it will be more accessible for the public which will enable us to develop our facility as a clinic with
consultation as well. The clinic would have the following infrastructure
Operation theatre complex including
Pre op area
Instruments sterilization
Dr's scrub room
Post op/ recovery area
Dr's consultation room
Store
Laboratory
Scanning
X ray
Reception
Post surgery boarding facility
Rooms for vet assistants, attenders, duty vets
2) Kolangattukara shelter treatment complex
We presently have 12 kennels standing in 2 enclosures and 2 other enclosures, one to keep puppies under treatment and another to isolate animals that are taken into the shelter. The
whole facility is outdoor which leaves the kennels exposed to the rain and sun. The animals are cold during the rainy season. Sometimes we take in road traffic cases/ sick cases for
treatment, but soon realize that these dogs have been affected by Parvovirus /Canine Distemper. We don't have the space to isolate such animals and such diseases spread like
fire.
We also don't have the space to accommodate staff required to work in the shelter. Hence we wish to build a good facility at the shelter with the following:
Quarantine ward( for new cases that enter the shelter)
Treatment room
Physiotherapy room
Training room so that puppies and adult dogs may be given basic training before giving on adoption.
Isolation ward for infectious diseases
Accident ward
Skin disease ward
Post op recovery ward
ABC cases
Puppy ward
Geriatric care ward
Store room
Cat treatment ward with separate room for infectious diseases
Shed for treatment of paralysed / sick cattle
Living quarters for staff
This would help us serve animals in a better , in a more scientific manner, avoiding cross infections
3) Awareness across the district in schools
We have conducted several awareness camps in schools ( eg Sandeepani Vidyanikethan, CMS, Chinmaya Vidyalaya). Raising awareness is the only way forward to teach people compassion as
well as to educate them on responsible disposal of waste which is one of the most important issues that the world is facing today. 'Segregation at the point of disposal' is the basic
mantra that needs to be inculcated. While we received good feedback for our awareness activities, unfortunately we had to stop the programmes due to lack of funds to take it forward.
We plan to restart these programmes, designing different programmes for different age groups , targeting every school in the state and also making it a regular process rather
than a one time activity as raising awareness is a constant process. For this we need funds to design programmes which will include videos as well as powerpoint presentations and
conducting quiz contests, drawing competitions, essay writing and contests to get children involved in the cause of animal and environment welfare. We also need to employ staff who
can conduct the awareness sessions on a regular basis.
Target audience: All schools, residents' associations
4) 2 Rescue vans
We started doing rescue work from the time PAWS was registered in 2012. In Jan 2013 , the Canine Club of Thrissur, recognizing the quantum of our work, donated a Maruti Omni Ambulance
for our rescue work. The vehicle is now 10 years old and needs to be changed as we incur huge expenses in terms of repairs and maintenance on a regular basis. We are on the
lookout to buy a Maruti Eeco Ambulance for our rescue work
We also wish to start a service named 'Pets to Vets' where pet animals may be transported to the veterinary hospitals and also as a pet transportation service which may generate
income for our activities.
Target customers: All pet owners
5) Incinerator for dead animals
As years pass, houses and the compounds get smaller and a lot of houses have very little/ no land space at all. In fact many people now live and keep their pets in flats.This means
that when their pets die, they have no space to bury them. We get a lot of requests asking for space for people to bury their dogs. A solution to this would be to set up an
incinerator for pets just as there is for human beings. This would be the first of its kind in Kerala.
Target customers: All pet owners living in apartments and small plots
6) Blood bank
Most often we receive a number of requests for blood donors. Dogs that get infected with blood parasites very often become anaemic and require blood transfusion. This calls for blood
donors that come up to at least 35 kgs weight. There is no such facility as a blood bank for dogs/ animals in spite of the requirement being so high. In the past we have managed to
use our rescued animals that have been treated back to health, as donors but the demand is much higher than we can cater to. Finding blood donor dogs is not easy and starting a blood
bank would solve the problem.
Recently Mr Loknath Behera's dog urgently needed blood for his dog and in spite of posting on social media, getting a donor was tough. We finally managed to arrange one and the
transfusion was carried out successfully.
Target customers: Pet owners across the state, as many cases are brought to the university veterinary hospital at Mannuthy.
7)PAWS CAAT programme
Companion animal assisted therapy programme. To provide a separate space for differently abled children for pet assisted therapy programmes
8)Mobile Veterinary Unit
To set up a mobile unit equipped for vaccinations and basic blood tests in which a veterinary doctor can visit all parts of the district to treat pet and community animals.
This will definitely help to reduce abandoning of pet animals as very often, ignorance is a cause for abandoning sick animals as people are not aware of treatment options for
various diseases/ infections. Such mobile units can facilitate basic treatment and cases requiring further treatment may be referred to bigger hospitals.
9) Animal Birth Control programmes
While it is mandatory for all LSGs to conduct ABC programmes, it is found that it is still not being performed in many parts of Kerala and this contributes to the increasing stray
dog population which leads to abandoning of puppies all over the state and man-animal conflict. In 2014, PAWS was instrumental in bringing the first ABC programme to Thrissur. We
sterilized and vaccinated 120 dogs in one week doing an average of 15 dogs per day. We plan to set up a mobile unit for ABC that can camp in various parts of the state where ABC
is not being performed and conduct the programme, in association with the LSG concerned.
Thanks again!!
Love and warm regards,
