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Animal Aid operates its animal care activities from two sites
just outside Udaipur.
* Animal Aid Hospital in Hawala Village, 4 kilometers from
Udaipur. It was completed and opened in March, 2003.
* Laboratory: Funding has been generously (and imaginatively)
donated to provide a small pathology laboratory which has been set up
in donated space in Hawala Village. The lab is run by veterinary nurse Elaine Philpott,
UK, who has extensive lab tech experience and volunteers
full-time at the hospital. Elaine trains permanent staff to use
the laboratory.
* Animal Aid has two vehicles: a large truck (Tata 207) donated
by The Brack Family Foundation to be rused both for rescuing
large animals and for for
dog-catching for sterilization. World Society for the Protection
of Animals donated a second ambulance (Maruti van) to enable us
to expand our services in July, 2006.
Situated on about a ½ “biga” plot of land (roughly an acre)
this is the site of all our surgical procedures and temporary
residence of animals small and large under daily treatment by
our skillful staff.
Here we have about 40 cages for dogs (occasionally used for
pigs, monkeys, goats, a badger or two, and who knows what the
future may bring. There are hyenas in Rajasthan!).
Animal Aid’s operating theatre is a room 15’x 15’; we have
several instrument kits, drip stands, autoclave, a dispensary,
treatment and surgical preparation room, a small storage area
and a small kitchen.
Animals are usually tethered, but often…Not tethered! (watch
your ankles and do NOT wear your finest clothes.)
Volunteers quickly learn to keep an eye out for roaming puppies
or calves endeavoring to wend their way into the kitchen.
Dogs brought for sterilization are
usually caught in the morning, undergo surgery that day, and
released within three days to the exact location from where they
were caught. These dogs remain in cages throughout their
stay.
Clinical cases requiring longer-term care may soon be let out of
their cages and tethered outside or in many cases let free to
wander the open courtyard. We feel this is particularly
important to reduce stress, particularly in cases like mange
where treatment can last up to a month.
Animals not able to return to the street or to work—particularly
donkeys, are given permanent shelter
on property "loaned" to Animal Aid by generous village farmers.
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Peaceful donkey paddock outside the hospital.
Hospital compound.
Jim
Myers
Much thanks to all
of our volunteers.
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