Updates for May through August 2019

Dear Well Wishers and Generous supporters,

We passed half way through the year 2019 by benefitting several hundred animals with strong opposition against abuses and cruelties and timely response for the distressed animals. Another quarter of the year 2019 has proven to be potential and satisfactory with accomplishments done from May to August of 2019.

We hope the rest would be enriching as well for serving the noble cause of Animal Welfare and Environmental Protection.

Initiatives undertaken

Protection of the surrendered calves from Simhachalam Temple during Chandanotsava festival
Visit to the shandies vigil on the traffickers
Update on the Olive Ridley Turtle Protection-Post to the Nesting Season
Cat Protection Program
Curbing Animal Sacrifices
Shark Protection
Vegan Meals
Critical Rescues and Recoveries

Thousands of tiny calves were abandoned to the Simhachalam Temple this year on the occasion of Chandanotsava-an auspicious day from a holy month occurs during April and May. The calves which are separated from their mothers are ruthlessly abandoned to the Simhachalam Temple. This is a merciless and barbaric tradition for which VSPCA is on the Mission to abolish this practice and infest peace to thousands of calves. VSPCA has been rescuing several thousand calves each year facilitating their rehabilitation and further Rehoming to potential adopters-the farmers who commit and ensure their well-being.

This time the pressure is been building slowly post to the auspicious month. Devotees are sill bringing the calves to surrender at the temple has not stopped yet. Despite being in-auspicious in the months of June, July and August the devotes are still abandoning the calves to the temple.

VSPCA Team Counselling Devotees

Treating the Sick Calves; Facilitating and Monitoring the adopted Calves

Awareness Education in the villages regarding the abolition of the tradition of surrendering Calves to the temple.

Activities

Rescuing the calves
Rehabilitating the calves
Re-Homing the calves
Monitoring the Re-Homed calves
Counseling the devotees to abandon the practice of surrendering the calves.

Impacts

Our team has prevented the brutal slaughter of over Two Thousand Five Hundred Calves Calves and re-homed them to the adopters giving a happy life to the surrendered calves.

Our Cattle Respect Team Inspecting the Shandies; Livestock Animals cruelly being transported

The team has liberated them and brought a change.

Our visits to the Animal Shandies play an important role in keeping a check to the interstate smuggling of cattle and also in preventing all kinds of cruelties inflicted against the animals brought for sale to shandies. VSPCA has also taken the responsibility of developing the Shandies which could ease the difficulties for the animals.

Activities

Visiting Shandies and monitoring the development of the shandies
Curbing inhumane handling and transportation of animals.
Documenting the violations and lobbying with officials.
Co-ordination for the Shandy Development meeting in shandies with the concerned departments.
Curbing inter-state cattle smuggling in shandy level.
Giving awareness to animal transporters, farmers etc. on humane transportation, rules and laws prescribed by the Indian Constitution regarding animal well-being.

Impacts

VSPCA could stop the cruel practice of cruel roping of animals in shandies. Livestock animals such as goats and sheep are cruelly roped by their four legs together making them immobilized and kept for sale for throughout the shandy timing. This practice starves them for over twelve hours. VSPCA has put a check on this practice and liberated thousands of Livestock Animals by making the owners to treating them humanely.

Update on post to the Nesting Season

Olive Ridley Turtle Protection for the year 2019 went highly potential which yielded a success rate of 89% which proved the significance of sustained efforts with a healthy collaboration resulted in a major success of Olive Ridley Turtle Protection with in two decades. Post to the April the North West Monsoon has affected the coast with heavy rains and rough seas which increased of the risk of erosion and collapse of the coast. However, the team has taken a highly personalized care for each nest which were yet to get incubated. We have also taken protective measures for the nests and prevented them from being succumbed to harsh weather.

Protection provided for the nests to avoid preying on hatchlings by crows and kites and also to avoid the loss of hatchlings due to extreme weather conditions

Turtle entangled in fishing net; VSPCA’s Sea Turtle Protection Force freed the turtle and released in the ocean.

Below is the table depicting the trends regarding Olive Ridley Protection for the year 2018-19

Impacts

This year a blanket cover of over 120 Kms has been dedicated for the Protection of Olive Ridley Turtles.
This year the Mutyalamma Palem Protection Zone has accorded 92% success rate in yielding the hatchlings.
This year the terrestrial predation of the hatchlings has brought down to negligible percentage.

Cat Protection Program initiative is taking a prominent role in abolishing the cruelties against community animals. and also curbing the practice of hunting hem for supplying their meat illegally to eateries. VSPCA has busted three cat poaching gangs within two years which incidentally reveled the horrifying incidents of Cat Poaching and utilization of their meat. Rigorous Awareness approach, Education programs for the women , Spay/ Neuter, Rescues and adoption facilitation are the ideologies carved for holistic Cat Protection and Wellbeing initiative.

Awareness Campaigns for the Fishermen regarding Cat Protection

Extensive Awareness Outreach resulted in the bust of three cat Poaching gangs within 2 years; With the recent bust of the Cat Poaching the team Confiscated 2 cats cat the one which is alive safely released to the community and the dead one was autopsied for further investigation.

Activities

Awareness to the public regarding humane conflict mitigation
Education Program for women regarding Spay/Neuter/Immunization as the only humane way to resolve the conflicts
Spay/Neuter/Immunization for street cats.
Rescuing distressed cats
Maintaining Cats shelters
Giving happy homes for several Cats by facilitating adoptions.
Curbing Cat killing and Poaching.

Impacts

Fishermen have been convinced as cats are one of the predatory animals keeping the vermins away from their catch and requested to sop culling them. Ever since cats are not culled out of retaliation but they consulting us for sterilizing the cats preventing population explosion.
We are also into Risky Rescue missions in rescuing cats who get struck in complicated and risky conditions.
VSPCA has busted third poaching gang in Visakhapatnam. On 26th august a distressed call has been attended by our Cat Protection Team about Cat Poaching Activity in the northern part of the city. The team rushed to the spot and stocked them. There were 6 cat poachers busted red-handedly capturing cats with the help of police. A criminal case has been filed against them under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and Indian Penal Code Section-428 which outlaws killing, maiming, poisoning and beating an animals.
The success which witnessed the liberation of hundreds of community cats is solely credited to awareness education program to the communities who have immediately responded on the cruel activities inflicted against the cats.

VSPCA is always in a vigil in eradicating the offering of animals in the name of religion. Andhra Pradesh being a one of the most meat consuming states in India contributing a lot to Animal Sacrificing. Every year thousands of animals slaughtered during Dusshera festival and harvest season. According to the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Bird and Animal Sacrifices act no animal and bird shall be brought to any temple for the purpose of offering and sacrificing. But the implementation is negligible, which is being pursued by VSPCA and rescuing thousands of Animals which are ruthlessly slaughtered in the name of religion.

One of the rescued male buffaloes from a sacrificing party is now fully recovered and leading a happy life at the shelter.

Activities

Campaigning in the vulnerable areas.
Prescribing alternate methods of offering.
Coordination with the concerned Governments departments.
Confiscations and prosecution with the help of Police.

Sharks the most trafficked marine animals exploited for their meat, fins and other body parts. Visakhapatnam is also one of the major catchers of Sharks threatening the oceanic eco-systems and livelihood of thousands of Fishermen. VSPCA is now initiating a comprehensive awareness campaign for fishermen in sustainably utilizing the fisheries resources rather then rationally exploiting.

Awareness Campaigns in Fish Markets and Harbor regarding Shark Protection.

Activities

Extensive campaigning to the entire fishing villages in the Visakhapatnam coast.
Liberating fishermen through sustainable ways of fishing.
Vigil on fining activities.
Protection of threatened species of sharks in association with the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972 through Awareness, Lobbying strategies.

Impacts

Fisher men are realizing the depletion of fisheries Resources.
VSPCA is now approaching the effected fishermen and making them aware of the consequences leading to the depletion of fisheries resources.
VSPCA is now strategizing to form a committee of fishermen who can sustainably dwell the oceans without effecting the Oceans.

Kindness Mobile Restaurant one of the noble initiatives, serving the poor and pious beings who have been abandoned yet they are compassionate with the community animals. VSPCA has been distributing dairy-free meals to the people for 10 years. There are several beneficiaries who are benefitted under the scheme serving both humans and their adopted animals.

Lakshmi one of the Kindness Mobile Restaurant Beneficiaries is homeless and yet adopted community dogs her little paws take care of her and she takes care of them living road side – she is the regular beneficiary of Vegan Meals Project

Volunteers Distributing Dairy-free meals to the poor.

Activities

The activities done include patrolling and identifying the people who are in need with supply of this Initiative.
Distribution of Dairy free mid-day Meals for the identified people.
Interacted with the beneficiaries and listing out their needs and meeting their adopted animals.
Assurance has been given for helping their animals when it is needed.
Volunteers have been given opportunity to take part in this initiative.