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Gallery There are so many puppies, dogs, kittens and cats that pass through the shelter; we have put together a few stories and a “rogues” gallery of some of them – we love them all! We’ve also included some press articles that caught our attention.
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Articles of interest published in the press. Includes GAWT “Letters To The Editor” and features, plus a selection of feedback from emails and letters.
‘Once again I would like to say that I can’t praise enough what GAWT is doing, it seems to me that every one of those dogs could be someone’s pet, just like in the U.K., they just happened to be born in Goa and not here. If I’d known how close we were staying to your shelter on holiday I would have loved to have visited and donated there and visited the shop, but until one day I can come back to Goa and do just that I will continue to support as much as I can from here and get others to join too.’ Harriet, UK
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Describes some specific instances where we have intervened on behalf of an animal.
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More pictures of us and our work.
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Who will take responsibility for rabies? By C.M.Corcoran (Herald, 22nd March, 2006) |
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The problems with rabid dogs seem to be getting worse in Goa. Every week I hear about a new crisis in villages. But who will take responsibility for dealing with it? Margoa Municipal Council, who should be responding to each and every report by sending out dogcatchers, does nothing. The local Sarpanch does not have the resources to be effective. The police, if they do anything, give the caller the telephone number of the local animal welfare NGO, who have no responsibility in this area at all, but who nevertheless, like other animal welfare agencies, find themselves in the no-win situation of listening to desperate and terrified people on the phones, seeking help because a dog is running wild around their village. Recently, in Nuvem a rabid pet dog went on the rampage, killing several cats and biting her own puppies and other local dogs. She was running in and out of people’s homes, and then into the hills, only to return and begin again. For good measure she also killed a large snake and attempted to eat it. It is a dangerous myth that pet dogs cannot be rabid. Despite a well-advertised Sunday morning anti-rabies camp recently, outside the local church, very few owners brought their pets in for vaccination. The cost is Rs/50 for this at the camp and it lasts for 12 months. If there is no camp planned in your village, then the nearest vet will vaccinate your pets for approximately Rs/ 100, while a trip to a government animal clinic will be slightly less than this. A small price to pay for peace of mind. The pet dog had not been vaccinated. Neither had her pups nor the other dogs she bit. So, one rabid dog can infect many other dogs in the locality, and the problem is perpetuated. If you or anyone in your family is unfortunate enough to be bitten by a stray or pet dog, see your doctor within the next 24 hours. Keeping your fingers crossed and hoping the dog is not rabid, will not do. Neither will prayer alone, nor Ayurvedic remedies help. The penalties for getting bitten by a rabid dog, and not getting immediate help from a doctor are unthinkable.
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When a dog turns rabid, or appears to, a kind of mass hysteria breaks out as panic and terror strikes people’s hearts. Unfortunately, the level of ignorance in local communities about rabies can cause people to do terrible things to the other, non-rabid, dogs in the vicinity, like beating them to death. The problem is everyone’s. We all should share in the work of fighting the rabies threat in our own community. To that end ownership of a domestic pet, however cute and cuddly, brings a fundamental responsibility to have it vaccinated against rabies every year right from the day you get it. And even if he (or she) is man’s best friend, you are doing yourself, your dog and your community a big favour by having it sterilised once it has reached six months, so that that the level of rabid dogs will reduce incrementally over the next decade. ( It is a myth that sterilisation of your dog will reduce his or her guard-dog effectiveness). It can take a whole day for a trained professional to catch a rabid dog, together with its victims. It is extremely dangerous. Despite great teamwork the risk to a dog-catcher of getting bitten is ever-present. And they do get bitten. They are unsung heroes to you and me. But who will train and pay for the dog-catchers to do this dangerous work? Rabies is a much greater risk here than bird-flu. So why is no money being spent to contain it? We urgently need well-resourced, properly trained anti-rabies rapid-response units throughout Goa. And we need political will and action to provide them. Any elected representative who will properly and consistently address this issue, will earn the heartfelt thanks of his constituents.
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Letter To The Editor From Grace Kare, M.B.A., GAWT Administrator and Trustee(Herald) |
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I am writing in response to the letter by Dr. Menezes published in "Reader Speak" (Friday, March 24th, "Shame! Rabies Again"). I agree that it is a shame. As the writer knows, rabies is endemic to India and unfortunately the threat is not taken seriously until it appears in one's own neighborhood. Our group, Goa Animal Welfare Trust (GAWT), has been shouting from the rooftops for the past six years about the need to set up a large comprehensive programme to control stray animals and the threat of rabies in the Margao area. We have spoken with the public, panchayats, MMC councillors, government officials and politicians to no avail. Need I say more? I find fault with the writer when he states, "all this public suffering and losses, just to keep a handful of so called dog lovers indulging in their private hobby at public cost of life, limb and money." -- Once again an example of generalizing about all without knowing the facts about any. Instead of moaning about the problem, GAWT has been actively working to improve the situation every day, every month, and every year since 1999. Can the writer or other critics say the same thing? Of course not. This year we have conducted 28 anti-rabies camps in villages near Margao. In the current fiscal year (April '05-March '06), we have operated 1,500 stray dogs and have vaccinated against rabies more than 3,300 strays and private dogs. More importantly, every year around this time we respond to calls about rabid dogs, and we have already handled several cases this month. This is not our responsibility, as it clearly falls within the duties of the Municipalities or Panchayats. But there are no government sources set up to help the general public with rabid dogs. We send our dog catchers into harm's way each time and our volunteers risk exposure to rabies to help the public. Does the writer think we are having "fun" or are indulging our "hobbies"?
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Contrary to the misleading notions spread by the uninformed, there are no monetary gains from working with stray animals. It is also unfortunate that four-legged animals cannot vote. If these two things were possible, we would not have strays in Goa. Instead, there would be many animal welfare NGOs set up throughout the state with the support of local officials. The fact is that there are only four animal welfare organizations in all of Goa, and you do not see anyone else eager to jump into this thankless arena. Instead of joining hands to solve the problem, the writer and others criticize and blame us for things that are not our responsibility, or that we cannot control. We follow the law of the land regarding strays. GAWT raises 75% of our finances through fund-raising activities. And we dedicate ourselves every day to running our shelter and conducting community programmes. Enough of putting the blame on us! Instead, why not take personal responsibility for the problem. Dog owners can start by vaccinating and sterilizing their pets. Why not stop dumping puppies and kittens in public places to add to the number of strays? Why not dispose of garbage correctly rather than creating food sources for strays by dumping it over the compound wall? Why not inform the public not to treat dog bites with ayurvedic or other "natural" medicines? Why not pressure local authorities into setting up animal shelters in every taluka or at least ask the government to increase its veterinary staff so they are available throughout the state? Why not DO SOMETHING instead of just talking and looking for a scapegoat? I invite Dr. Menezes and other critics to visit our shelter and learn the facts about our work. What are the chances of that happening?
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Why Stray Dogs Will Always Be With Us By C M Corcoran (Herald) |
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Now that the party’s over and the tourists have returned home, we are faced with the problems of starving stray dogs roaming the beaches. Culling them has the charm of simplicity, but such measures have proved completely ineffective in controlling either rabies or the dog population in the past, because as long as we deliberately choose not to have our pets sterilised, whether for moral or lifestyle reasons, or just plain laziness, we will always have stray dogs. Here is a good example why. My friend called me about six months ago. ‘Come and see’ she cried, ‘Tootsie has had puppies and they are just adorable’. Tootsie is just one year old now, and this is her a second litter. Well, I went off to admire them. Two males and three females. ‘We’ve already got homes for the two males’ my friend announced proudly. ‘What about the others’ I asked. ‘We’ll see’ she murmured, and I feared the worst. Later I called and asked whether she had found homes for the female puppies. She hadn’t, but it didn’t matter, she assured me, she had left them in Gandhi Market in Margao where local traders would look after them. She had abandoned her female puppies when they had ceased to be cute and adorable. Margao had gained another three fertile strays, capable of having up to ten puppies each year of their own. And each of those ten puppies will have at least two litters in each of the following years. In all, this one act of supreme stupidity will mean that we have around 700 new stray dogs in the next two years. My friend is one of the most vociferous voices when the subject of stray dogs comes up in conversation. They should be culled, shot, poisoned, whatever, but something must be done about the problem. I want to tell her that her actions have a consequence. I try to be positive. ‘Will you have Tootsie sterilised now?’ I ask. But no! They all love having her puppies around.
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The shocking fact is that all the stray dogs in Margoa’s Gandhi Market have been collected and taken to the Goa Animal Welfare Shelter at least five times in the last 6 years for treatment. But if you visit the market today you will nevertheless see many hungry, sick, hopeless dogs and young puppies, abandoned because they are past their cuteness and probably female, and now condemned to die a slow death from starvation and illness. So the problem of stray dogs goes round in circles. Every action has a consequence. Let’s make the effort to have our pet dogs and puppies sterilised and given an anti-rabies vaccine. Encourage everyone you know who owns a dog to do the same. Rather than dump unwanted puppies, call the local animal welfare organisation and ask if they could arrange adoption. Or put up a notice in your local veterinary clinic about them. The dog population will start to become stable, non-breeding, non-aggressive and rabies-free. I think the one thing everyone agrees on is that Goa has more than enough dogs, and you know it makes sense. Here is a candle to light the darkness. Some time ago, Goa Animal Welfare Trust sterilised its 1,500th stray dog in one year. This means that they have already prevented the births of something like 75,000 unwanted pups over the next 2 years. They’re doing their bit. How about the rest of us?
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The Great Indian Dog By Maneka Gandi (Femina, November 15, 2003) |
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People call them mongrels, which actually means dogs of mixed parentage, bits of this and bits of that – in Australia they are affectionately called bitsers. I, however, prefer to refer to them as Indian dogs – I don’t like the word “mongrel”. And, unlike the foreign pedigrees, these are hardy creatures well adapted to survive and thrive in local conditions. Each one is an individual and its keeper the privileged owner of a unique dog. I have always found that Indian dogs are far brighter than breeds, which can be seen from the fact that when one of them moves into a house already inhabited by breed dogs, it pretty soon becomes “top dog”. I suspect the bias against mixed breeds stems not only from in sufficient research but also because most dog books are written by three kinds of people. First, the breeders who have a vested interest in playing down non-breed intelligence; second, the vets, who are irritated because Indian dogs are naturally healthy animals and therefore non-remunerative patients; and third, the dog trainers who find them difficult to teach because they have minds of their own and will not follow commands slavishly. On the other hand, they learn quickly from their owners because they are so anxious to please. I once found a dog that was being chased by a stone-pelting crowd. His head was half-eaten by maggots and he was dizzy with pain and fright. I loved him at once with an enormous sense of outrage and set about nursing him back to health and confidence. He came to live with me and I have never seen an animal show so much gratitude or intelligence. A rescued dog displays unshakeable loyalty to its saviour. In fact, he will repay a hundred times any kindness shown to him. Realising instinctively that he is less attractive than pedigree dogs, an Indian dog tries harder. Having known loneliness and deprivation, he is resolutely determined never to be lost again. This dog has but one aim in life, to bestow its heart, and once bestowed, its devotion is limitless. In fact, it is nothing short of a miracle, how a shivering, terrified dog becomes as brave as a lion once he finds a master to love and to guard. He protects the owner and his property with fanatical courage and assumes responsibility for anyone who belongs to the family.
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Indian dogs are particularly good with children, protecting them and acting as wonderful playmates. They display common sense, unselfishness and cheerful adaptable nature. Given their own wretched childhood, their jaunty good humour is a tribute to their unconquerable spirit and zest for life. The Indian dog makes a far more rewarding companion, as much for his greater intelligence as for the far less healthcare he will require. Blessed with natural hybrid vigour, he is special in the cheerful stoicism with which he endures pain. While my bull mastiff would regularly collapse moaning and groaning from the slightest infection, my Indian dogs have thrived healthy and happy minus any fuss or medical help. Not surprisingly, Indian dogs live longer than breed dogs and so, probably, do their owners from less headache and heartache. Indian dogs are very persistent. Unlike breed dogs, which have marriages arranged for them, the Indian dog marries for love, selecting his quarry on the open market and then fighting off all others that come to claim her. I have an old roué, who in spite of being sterilised, will sally forth whenever he gets the scent, and return beaten, bloody and bruised, which curiously doesn’t seem to dampen his ardour at all. Intelligent people who do not need to prove anything are much happier with Indian Dogs – there is in fact a trend towards ending the ghastly snobbery associated with pedigrees. I was delighted to see that the Bombay SPCA organised a dog show for Indian dogs – the winner was actor Om Puri’s pet. Kishore Kumar’s wife Leena feeds 88 of them. Rohit Bal, Pritish Nandy, Anju Mahendru, Divya Seth and Mario Miranda – all successful, confident people who do not need to flaunt their pets as status symbols, have Indian dogs as pets. Keeping dogs keeps you healthier and happier it is said that when someone is lonely, God sends him a dog. Dogs ward off loneliness, give you an interest in life and keep you fit by taking you out for walks and eating up your biscuits. There are a million reasons to keep dogs. And one of them is probably on the street right outside your house. Take him in and like all good stories let this one too, end with a happy beginning. Live and help live forever.
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Stray Dogs or Dogs Gone-A-Stray By Zefa Araujo (14 years old) (Junior Herald, November 2004) |
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Every morning on my way to school, I have to pass a dustbin just outside the gate of our building complex at Ribandar. Together with this overflowing garbage, the most common sight around it, are dogs – of various colours and sizes. Most of them are small and undernourished, but look fierce and ready to attack at any provocation. The slightest noise around them or the approach of a stranger starts off an incessant barking. Quite often, they chase four or two wheeler vehicles. The drivers or riders are thus caught unawares, throwing them off balance. As a result, the dogs are very often attacked in return with sticks, stones and verbal abuses such as ‘out you go, get out, kill them and what a menace!’ But why have these problems with dogs come about? Dogs are supposed to be the first animals domesticated by ancient man. They were, and still are used as guards. They constantly clean up left over and spoiled food. They are supposed to be the best therapy for small and children with problems. We, children, usually love dogs. But you must be taught to resist cruelty to animals. But do you know that stray dogs make the best pets? Since they are the most intelligent and compassionate of all species, most of them are quick learners and a small loaf of bread given to them make them your followers. |
But feeding them, alone, does not help as they have to be vaccinated and looked after. But how have these strays come about? It is mainly due to us human beings. We sometimes let our pedigree dogs loose in the neighbourhood during the mating season. The government has a programme for animal birth control through sterilization. And yet, even if all the stray dogs were eliminated from one area, another group would take its place, as dogs are very territorial. Outright killing of dogs will never be the answer to the problem. Different approaches are possible and could be very effective too. There are some ways in which we can prevent strays from being a danger on the roads:- · By disciplining our dogs · By not leaving our old and sick pets on the road to die · By not leaving garbage unattended and uncleaned for them
By seeing that the stray animals we feed are vaccinated or sterilized, for only giving then food will enhance the menace of stray dogs.
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We have so many pictures and so many stories we could tell, but where do we start and stop? We have just selected a few for the website. |
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MitziMitzi and Angie were brought to the shelter at the end of 2005 when very young – too young in fact. A volunteer couple agreed to foster them until they could be found new homes. Unfortunately, Angie had Parvo Virus and died, despite heroic efforts from the veterinary staff to keep her alive. This is the harsh truth of animal life in Goa. However, Mitzi battled on and grew into a healthy puppy, who was subsequently rehomed in early 2006 through one of the GAWT trustees |
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TrixieDuring the 2004/2005 season, two GAWT volunteers who live in Betalbatim, found a small quivering puppy dumped under their scooter one Sunday morning. This is not the first time that this has happened, but their response is always the same. The puppy, badly malnourished, starving, filthy dirty, unable to stand and covered in fleas, was taken in and fed, cleaned and medicated. After some 3 months of fostering at their apartment, the puppy – christened Trixie – was vaccinated and ready for a new home. A friend of one of the GAWT trustees had recently lost a dog so was looking for a replacement to play with and keep her existing dog (Holly) company. Trixie was duly introduced to Holly and is now happily living outside Margao under the GAWT adoption scheme. She was also sterilised free-of-charge as part of this adoption programme. |
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Trixie on the day she was found outside the house of a GAWT volunteer couple |
Trixie after 3 months fostering by GAWT and ready for a new home |
Trixie (right) in her new home, with Holly (left) and Deena (the lady!)
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Tootsie
Dumped shivering by the house of a GAWT volunteer, fostered for 3 months and then rehoused successfully via a puppy camp. |
Maurice
Brought to the charity shop in Colva at 2-weeks old, fostered for 2 months and then rehoused with a GAWT volunteer (and the family labrador dog!)
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NancyNancy was the victim of extremely cruel treatment. The dog and five pups were thrown out of a moving vehicle. The owner was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The dog collected all the pups and would not allow anyone near her. For two days, a GAWT volunteer fed the dog on the side of the road to gain its confidence. By the time assistance could be given, four of the pups had died. Nancy and the surviving pup were brought to the shelter. A resident of Margao adopted the pup. Nancy has been sterilised, vaccinated, and is currently available for adoption. A case against cruelty to animals was filed against the owner. |
CindersCinders is a mixed Alsatian pup found tied to a tree during the monsoon season. No one knows how long she had been abandoned in the mud and rain. The rope tied around her neck was so tight that it had cut into her skin. By the time a GAWT volunteer found her, she was in an extremely bad condition. Since then, she has fully recovered from the trauma and has been adopted by the volunteer who found her. Unfortunately, because of the cruel treatment, she will always have weak hind legs and some co-ordination problems. |
DuchessDuchess is a pedigree white Pomeranian dog, about ten years old. She was left chained to the front gate of the hospital and found abandoned the next morning. She arrived with practically all her hair gone, an infected eye, and long nails that curled around. She could barely walk due to lack of exercise, and because the nails were so long, a wire cutter had to be used to trim them. She was suspicious and very frustrated. Now she is healthy, all her hair is back and she is well adjusted. All thanks to GAWT and our supporters!
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Monsoon 2006 View from the main entrance of the puppies area. Can be used as a bar & restaurant after the monsoon!
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Monsoon 2006 The new van, nice and cozy in its parking place -- next to the holding cages, across from the operation theatre. |
Monsoon 2006 View from "The Pit". Looking up from the kitchen area, this is the view for the "home dogs". |
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Monsoon 2006 The break in the rain brought all the dogs out for a quick spin around the compound. |
Monsoon 2006 Rainy day….waiting for the rain to stop to unload new patients from the van. All the sheds are covered in plastic for protection from the cold and rain. |
Monsoon 2006 Head count at the "Kitty Hotel". The cats come out whenever the rains stop. We keep the door open during the day. Then, with the last meal of the day, they retire to their individual shelves and stay nice and warm all night in thecage.
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Marie-Claire Vautrain from France joined us in August 2006 for a couple of weeks and did some great work at the shelter. Here she is with some of the shelter staff – I leave you to guess which one is Marie-Claire! We loved her because she just worked alongside the boys. All the home dogs were squeaky clean by the time she left - even Betty (one of the house dogs) looked part pedigree by the time she was done ! Please come back Marie-Claire ! OK – if you’re not sure who’s who. . . . from right to left we have Rosario, Gracie, Marie Claire, Aliston, Bidur, Sitaram (behind), Anand (behind to Sitaram), Raju (front), Dilip, Menino, and Prasad Gude -- only Celestine and Anup are missing from this picture.
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Petra Diefenbach is a physiotherapist from Germany who joined us as a volunteer in November 2005 and did excellent work with the puppies and dogs until she returned to Germany in March 2006. Her skills helped many of the injured animals and she has now qualified as a dog-coach and problem-dog-therapist – well we’ve always got plenty of work for her at the shelter!
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In November 2005, two British vets – Vanessa Lambert and Emma Rayner - came over to Goa for a bit of R & R and also to see first hand what animal welfare is like in India by volunteering their services to GAWT. They brought hands-on experience and undertook a number of operations and other treatments whilst with us. We are very grateful for their services. |
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