Rescue And Care
Rescue and Care Project
Unlike the UK, there are literally millions of stray animals that reside on all the streets of India. A cow, that has had a prolapsed uterus for a week that is being pecked at by crows. A puppy, that has had a compound fracture of its leg that is now infested with maggots because the injury occurred 4 days before.
A donkey that has been wandering the streets for 3 months with no hoof and a leg filled with pus. And a dog that has been hauling itself around on its front legs for 2 weeks because her hindquarters are paralysed from a spinal injury.
Unfortunately, these are not made up cases but REAL life situations that can be seen EACH and EVERY day!
Our TOLFA staff and volunteers on rescue
But no more …or at least not for the animals that are lucky enough to be residing in the area that T.O.L.F.A covers. Responding to emergency calls that we receive from the general public, we currently attend an average of 4-5 rescues per day.
Word has spread since our work started and we are becoming busier with rescues every month.
Applying a plaster cast to a calves broken leg
Once we have rescued the animal in distress, they are taken back to the shelter where they are assessed and receive the medical, surgical and emotional treatment that they need. All our patients, dogs, cows, donkeys, cats, birds, monkeys and more are treated on a daily basis until they are fit to be returned to their home.
Their stay can range from a matter of days to weeks. Accurate records are kept so that the animal can be released to the exact point from which it was rescued. Some animals that are old or too badly injured are unable to be released.
Puppies are very difficult to release back to the streets due to the fact that once back they are often attacked by the adult dogs that are protecting their territories and available food sources. Therefore when possible we try to find suitable homes with Indian families.
For puppies that have been adopted we give free rabies vaccination and spaying.
Adoption of a previously rescued puppy
To generate a small amount of funds we also hold a private veterinary clinic for dogs belonging to owners that can afford the veterinary fees. In Rajasthan there are practically no private veterinary clinics, they are all government hospitals that specialise more in livestock animals.
Sick dog belonging to caring owners
Are we making a difference? You decide
Below are some before and after photos of our work
Uterine prolapse is common in cows residing in the area usually due to nutritional deficiencies. If the prolapse has been out for a short time it is possible to shrink it with sugar, replace it and put sutures in place to keep it in.
Sometimes, if the uterus has been out for a very long period of time, it is necessary to remove the dead tissue which is a very hazardous operation due to the big blood supply to the area.
Before - Uterine prolapse
After - After surgery
Traffic in India is chaotic and many animals, especially dogs end up in accidents. Paralysis is a common injury. What we have found though is often the paralysis is temporary and with a little bit of time, intense physiotherapy combined with treatment, they make a full recovery.
Before - Dog with hind limb paralysis
After - Dog recovered and running again
Tumours can be found in any species and in any part of the body. In localised areas like this, the offending body part can just be removed, giving a complete cure.
Donkey with tumour on ear
Donkey after ear amputation
Puppies, especially are vulnerable to parasites both internal (worms) and external (fleas, lice and ticks) and they can make them extremely weak and debilitated.
A lot of puppies die because of associated fevers and anaemia such as this puppy which almost certainly had a parasitic associated disease. A simple one off worming tablet can make the difference between life and death for them.
A weak, anaemic puppy
After anti parasitic treatment
With many fractures it is impossible to apply a plaster cast because the fracture is open and unlike in the west, we don’t have the expensive equipment that would be necessary to fix the fracture internally. Often as well, the fractures are also badly infected which makes amputation of the leg the only option.
Cow compound fracture of leg
Cow after amputation of badly injured leg
This wound could have started with something as simple as a minor conjunctivitis treated with a basic course of antibiotics but because of no opportunity for veterinary care, left untreated, the infection can get out of control. Many wounds become filled with pus and cause a generalised infection throughout the body that puts the animals life at risk.
Dog with serious wound in the eye
Dog after treatment of eye wound
Farriers and a lack of information mean that rather than the problem of overgrown hooves in working donkeys being tackled quickly and simply, the problem is left until the donkey is unable to work anymore and then the donkey is thrown out into the streets to fend for itself.
Donkey with badly overgrown hoof
Donkey after hoof has been trimmed
When puppies are small, often pieces of string or cloth are tied around their necks to act as a collar. As the puppy grows, the novelty wears off and the puppy is left but the string is not removed. So as the puppy grows, the string becomes tighter and tighter until it causes a lot of damage to surrounding tissue.
Puppy with elastic band round neck
Puppy after removal and treatment of the wound
A similar problem to the string in the puppy but this time a nylon rope is tied to the donkeys leg to keep it in one place. But the rope is too tight and abrasive and so acts as a tourniquet, cutting off the blood supply to the bottom of the foot. The foot then become gangrenous and drops off.
Donkeys foot badly damaged by nylon ropes
Donkey after removal of the hoof
During summer months, after the rains there are flies everywhere. Attracted to the blood, the flies lay their eggs in any wound, which then hatch into maggots and these can turn a simple wound into a huge festering mess. Between July and November, maggots can be found in every single wound, complicating matters considerably.
Dog with maggot infested tumour
Dog after leg amputation