Reflections of our Latest Volunteer - Lindy
It certainly was an experience travelling to India and working with TOLFA. Just as the guidebooks will tell you: India is a land of vibrant colour, smells and sights, who am I to disagree? My classmate, Nicole, and I stayed at TOLFA for 1 month in October as part of our vet course at Uni, where we learnt a little bit of Hindi, and truly got to experience the real India.
Lindy at the goat clinic
Life in India is so intertwined with animals that you don’t even notice it. There are street dogs that watch you eat your breakfast (and hope that you’ll leave some for them) and cows that stand at the front of houses, sticking their heads in, waiting for a meal. It has been an absolute pleasure working with the animals at TOLFA’s animal shelter.
There is a stark difference in the outlook that western veterinary medicine has compared to the way things are done in India. Paralysed dogs, that I know would have been put down here in Australia with a hopeless prognosis, learn to walk again. All they needed was time, physiotherapy, and someone to give them a chance.
Lindy and Shantaram
I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely most dogs were. Even though so many of them have been abused by people in the past, they are so quick to forget their fears and put aside their bias when offered a little attention and tasty Parle-G biscuit.
I will always remember E14, the most ferocious kennel guarding dog I’ve ever met. She was declared to be ‘full danger’ by everyone. E14 was in my block of dogs that I had to walk daily and admittedly, I was terrified of her for the first 3 days and never went near her.
All it took was for a brave volunteer to open her kennel door to start the ball rolling. Although wary, she allowed herself to be put on a lead and walked. A few days of walking and frequent human contact later and she was a changed dog. Before she was released, she would whine and call out to me as I approached her kennel and wag her tail furiously to ask to be let out. Once outside, she would jump on me and beg to be loved. A little kindness goes a long way with these dogs.
Outside TOLFA’s theatre
Clichéd as it sounds, that one month in India and TOLFA did change my perception on things. I reckon India is a country that you either love or you loathe, and I think that I’m in love. It would do anyone good to see the way things are done in India; it makes you appreciate the little luxuries that we enjoy in such a privileged country.
Lindy Tan
November 2009