News Updates
February 2011: New Sanctuary Construction Begins; Sea Turtle Victory and More!
To all our friends and supporters:
January and February have been very busy months here at VSPCA. We started the year with both good and bad news, but overall, we're off to a great start. We hope you'll enjoy hearing what's new, and be inspired to continue helping these beautiful animals.
Sacred Ox dies due to plastic bags
Ambooth was a five-legged Ox who Pradeep Nath, President and Founder of VSPCA, rescued. This type of Ox is considered auspicious in India but still he was abandoned and suffering on the streets of India after he was run over by a vehicle. He was brought to the VSPCA shelter 8 years ago and lived there most happily until ...
Read the rest of Ambooth's story here »
New Sea-Turtle Hatcheries
This month, we got permission from the AP Forest Department for the Sea-Turtle hatcheries to be built on R.K. Beach and Yendad Beach in the Bhemuni Patnam. Within the next few days we'll start construction and hire people to patrol the beach, protecting both the turtles and their nests.
Read more about our sea turtle program now in its 14th year »
A few of our January rescues
As soon as you walk in the kitten house, Buji is guaranteed to be right beside you, wanting to play. Her happy personality is contagious, yet she's been through so much! Having lost her mother, Buji curled up beneath a parked motorbike, trying to hide from the rain. Only a few weeks old, she was so small and afraid. She cried all night until our sanctuary manager found her, and brought her to the shelter. Now she spends her days playing with the other kittens, and anxiously awaiting new toys.
This little sweetheart named Faith was rescued from the roadside, her eyes severely injured. She was taken to our shelter, where she was given treatment, but it was too late. Just a kitten, she's permanently blind. Since she's unable to see, she's very frightened of new people, but she loves the friendly sound of a familiar voice. When she's not playing with Buji, she enjoys having people hold her in their arms and sing her to sleep.
These two little bunnies, Carrot and Pebbles, and their sister, used to live in a meat shop. They weren't given proper food or water, they had developed mange, and were incredibly weak. Now that they've been rescued from slaughter, all three of them spend their days grooming each other, and happily gnawing on the shoes of anyone who walks in their pen.
Volunteers of the Month
During the month of January, Steve and Brook Bennett volunteered with VSPCA in both the sanctuary and the office. They're brother and sister, and have been traveling throughout Asia since October, volunteering with different animal organizations, and decided to finish their amazing adventure with us, here at VSPCA.
"VSPCA is a wonderful organization full of dedicated people doing everything they can to help as many animals as possible. I turned 20 at the sanctuary, and celebrated by sharing a bunch of bananas with the monkeys. It was a great day, and an amazing month!" – Brook Bennett, USA
"One of the first things I noticed about VSPCA was just how hard Pradeep works to get the job done and the lengths the workers go to help the animals. When I first went to the sanctuary I was highly impressed with how far they've come. They built out of a wasteland a paradise for hundreds of animals. I hope they'll soon expand and be able to help even more abused and unwanted animals." – Steve Bennett, USA
To find out how you can volunteer with VSPCA, please contact us.
Painted Storks Thriving!
In the year 2000, VSPCA got involved with a project run by the Forestry Department to protect wild Painted Storks in Andhra Pradesh. A flock of these birds has continued to migrate to the same village for generations. For years they were poached, and their population dwindled. This month, VSPCA made the three-hour journey northeast to Tekkali, and are happy to report that their numbers have reached over 1,000! The villagers have continued VSPCA's work successfully.
Right: A Painted Stork looks over her hatchlings.
VSPCA, with the Forest Department, is planning to have an exclusive wildlife rehabilitation centre for the chicks that fall down from the nest and also to coordinate with the Department to place nets below the trees to support the falling hatchlings, as well as feed for the chicks and to consider supporting skilled persons to look after them!
Read more about our migratory bird protection efforts »
Construction starts at our New Sanctuary!
This month, dozens of workers have begun construction on the site of our new sanctuary in Koruvada. Currently, we have over six acres, and are in the process of attaining another three. The land will be divided into sanctuaries for our cows, bulls, buffaloes, horses, and monkeys. We'll also use part of the land to grow hundreds of fruit trees, which will generate food for the animals, as well as income for VSPCA.
Right: VSPCA President, Pradeep Nath, helps workers plant a coconut tree.
Please remember VSPCA has 1083 (mostly large) animals that look to you for support. We wish we could receive government funds and we wish we had a cushion of money in the bank for our operating expenses, but instead we must depend on you! We humbly thank our monthly subscribers, and anyone else who has sent in any donation of any amount, and the countless, wonderful people who have made our sanctuary and shelter a refuge for these sweet and deserving animals from a harsh world.
With continuing heartfelt gratitude,
Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals