World Rabies Day and New Kennel Inauguration
“Working together to Make Rabies History!” – shouted the slogan and T.O.L.F.A. tucked away in a small corner of the planet, marked the day with it’s own charming programme. It indeed felt good to be part of a global push, with hundreds of other charities and NGO’s marking the day, in their own special way.
TOLFA Staff beside our new sign
As the new 60 space Kennel Block was nearing completion, World Rabies Day day afforded the chance to formally open it. It wasn’t quite finished, but the red ribbon was cut by Mr Dharmendra Guhlot, Chairman of Ajmer Municipality, who courteously reviewed the gate-less, dog-less kennel block, to the cacophony of barking from our bulging kennel block next door.
Our guest of honor, Mr Dharmendra Guhlot who opened our new kennel block
Into the resplendent Rajasthani tent we trouped, with it’s serried rows of chairs, to listen attentively to speeches on rabies by Dr Irshad and a centrepiece from Rachel, in absentia, about the work of TOLFA. We heard a specially composed welcome song from crisply uniformed pupils from KV-2, a serious piece about humanity towards animals read in sing-songy perfect English by teenager Sinita from St Mary’s Convent and a firm Do’s and Don’ts towards animals delivered with great aplomb from Seema, aged 10, broke up the somewhat dry Hindi presentations from the adults!
Sinita reading her piece - the Do’s and Don’ts towards animals
Our animal assistants, in their bottle green T.O.L.F.A shirts , ID badges flapping, bustled round with trays serving plated snacks of delicacies, and the “Free Rabies Vaccination” table awaited it’s customers. We’d plugged this bonus to the local journalists, at the press briefing in the surreal surroundings of Jyotis Beauty Palour amongst the henna and wedding make up kits.
Our Free Rabies vaccination table
Our staff helped serve snacks throughout the day
An untimely power cut thwarted the sassily dressed team of school girls about to perform their Rajasthani closing dance and the guests began to drift away. Happily, before the tent emptied completely the music system burst into life, and they sashayed and weaved around the stage.
Then back to normal, dog and cattle treatments and ABC’s resumed, the only visual evidence that the event took place was the fading chalk lines festively drawn on the ground, and the wilting marigold garland framing the inauguration plate. But the newspapers trumpeted our cause the next day, and the memories of the day are kept alive still.Find out more about the mission to Make Rabies History.