Organisation Profile

Achievements

PFA celebrates a decade of dedication

People for Animals (PFA), Bangalore was launched in 1996, with Namrata Dugar, Alpana Bhartia and Gauri Maini and Arushi Poddar, who were the pioneers. The first few years saw this embryonic mission grow with a focus on urban wildlife.

The last nine years saw the setting up of an animal hospice in Kengeri, with clinical and recuperative facilities wounded, sick and displaced mammals, reptiles and avains.

To date, four thousand and forty mammals, avian and reptiles treated back to health in the hospice, and rehabilitated back to their natural habitats.

It was a period where awareness programmes in schools, colleges, in forums like the rotary clubs, and articles in the mass media were done, to bring forward and sensitize people to the plight of all these creatures which due to rapid urbanization were being ousted from the land of their ancestors.

The cruelty to circus animals, the illegal pet trade, ritual killing of protected species in religious, these issues and more were brought to the fore, and because of greater awareness and public sensitivity, brought down to more controlled levels.

But all this would not have been possible if it were not for the ongoing support of those compassionate volunteers, citizens and corporate passionate about their rich animal and environmental heritage, without them we would not have been where we are now.

And to each of them go the laurels when PFA, Bangalore won the nationwide Venu Menon Award for the best animal welfare organization in 2003.

More information:

1. Animal Rescue: The team of expert wildlife rehabilitators at Save our Wildlife (SoWL, our active wildlife wing) has a great record of rescuing and rehabilatiting wildlife. We are heartened by our success (78% of them were successfully released into their natural habitat). SoWL runs a 24-hour rescue facility for people to call in for emergencies - conflicts with snakes, accidents, animals that have fallen into wells and drains are all attended to by the PFA staff. It also houses animals that need a home and cannot go back to the streets.
2. 24hr free animal mobile ambulances: We run two free animal Mobile Ambulances to treat injured, sick and ill animals.
3. Membership of 3200 volunteers: PFA has a membership of over 3200 people in Bangalore who are aware and concerned about animals and the environment and who regularly assist the cause of animals.
4. Instrumental in spreading awareness during ritual hunting: During the months of December and January, hundreds of villagers around Bangalore go on a hunt and kill a large number of wild animals - these include jackals, migratory birds, local birds, bats, mongoose, and jungle cat. Although the Wildlife Protection Act protects these animals, villagers were continuing with this age-old ritual. PFA Bangalore has been instrumental in stopping this practice through a two-pronged program of awareness and enforcement. We have worked jointly with the Forest officials and the police for 4 years. As a result, the villagers have stopped this activity by 98%.
5. Animal rescues: Our volunteers accompany the Forest department on raids at pet shops, in people's homes and on the streets whenever they hear of any illegally kept wildlife. We also book cases against the offenders.
6. Campaigned on various issues:

* Against cruelty to camels during Bakri-id: During the popular Muslim festival of Bakri-Id, camels travelled about 1500 kms on foot from Rajasthan to reach Karnataka where they were slaughtered for meat. We campaigned against this cruelty along with other Animal Rights NGOs and were successful in saving several camels. Due to widespread awareness and interaction with the police, this practice has reduced considerably.
* Against illegal exhibition of animals in Rajkamal Circus (Jan'02) & Gemini circus: We very actively campaigned against the inhuman treatment meted out to the animals in these circuses. Volunteers visited about 200 schools and addressed all the children. The children pledged not to attend circuses where animals were displayed. A successful press campaign, a signature campaign and continuous protests along with legal cases deterred these circuses from displaying their animals. The lions and the bear from Rajkamal circus were eventually confiscated and brought to Banerghatta National Park.
* Against dolphinarium in Karnataka: We successfully thwarted the Karnataka tourism Ministry's plans of starting a dolphinarium in Karwar.
* Campaigned against the cruelty meted out to horses in the turf club. Also lodged a police complaint against the ace jockey for viciously whipping the horse. The jockey had mounted the horse during the pre-race parade but fell off when the horse reared. So the jockey resorted to whipping the animal which tantamounts to the violation of the Section 11 of the PCA Act and Section 429 of the IPC.
* Against cruelty meted out to the wild animals during Makarshakranti: PFA volunteers went to Udbur village to prevent the cruelties meted out to the foxes and jackals during the festival of Makar Sakranti. They were sensitised to methods of worship that are free of cruelty and trauma to animals.
* Stopped sheep biting in Mangalore: PFA networked with the police officials and effectively stopped a traditional sport of sheep biting in Mangalore. Local villagers would dress up in costumes of tigers and bite sheep with their mouth, throw the helpless animals in the air amidst a cheering audience - in an attempt to show off their valour. This grotesqueness was stopped with police help by a local Animal Rights organisation.
* Opposed animal sacrifices: Animal sacrifice is prevalent in Karnataka in the superstitious belief of appeasing the local gods. We have successfully stopped several sacrifices, educated the public about the law and mustered up the help of the police in thwarting such crimes against animals.

7. Disbanded elephant training camp: PFA stopped and disbanded the elephant training camp at Dubare in Coorg in September 1996.Wild elephants were trained here in the most cruel way - they were tortured, given no food and kept in tiny enclosures till their spirit was broken.
8. Stopped ostrich farming: We were successful in stopping Ostrich Farming in Karnataka - a venture that would have made India a killing field for ostriches and would have also affected our indigenous flora and fauna. The company, Global Ostrich Farming had to withdraw its proposal and permission was denied as a consequence.
9. PFA Trustees were nominated by the Govt. of India to CPCSEA. PFA trustees have been nominated by the Government of India on to the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA). PFA was given the responsibility of looking after 48 Beagles that were confiscated from a laboratory. PFA with its wide networking got the dogs adopted by animal lovers around the city in less than 24 hours. A second adoption program with another 218 Beagles has also been completed successfully.
10. Prevented mobile zoo from displaying wild animals: PFA networked with the forest officials and stopped a mobile zoo from displaying its animals in Mangalore. The animals (2 lions, 2 pythons, 2 jackals, 3 monkeys, 2 pelicans, few guinea pigs) were confiscated and shifted to the Lion Safari in Shimoga.
11. PFA volunteers were appointed as part of the Institutional Ethics Committe in various organisations to control and restrict experiments on animals in laboratory situations. We keep a strict check on the organisations and ensure that ethics and guidelines are followed and suffering in animals is minimised.
12. Funded an emergency night clinic for 7 months: We sponsored the Emergency Night Clinic with another AWO for seven months. We treated 630 stray and injured animals in this venture.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AID TO PFA, BANGALORE

* In recognition of our pioneering wildlife work, IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) and WTI (Wildlife Trust of India) awarded a grant of Rs. 50,000 on 21-02-01 to PFA.
* The Ratan Tata Foundation awarded a grant of Rs. 2,50,000
* AWBI (Animal Welfare Board of India) awarded a grant of Rs. 25,000
* The Marchig Fund for Animal Welfare awarded 1,000 Sterling Pounds.

AWARENESS PROGRAMS

1. Awareness campaign against the use of Ivory, against tiger poaching and cutting trees in forests. We organised a protest march, which was attended by 1200 citizens of Karnataka. We also gave a signed memorandum to the Forest Minister.
2. Humane Education has been an important aspect of PFA 's ethos. We have formed nature and animal welfare camps in different schools. PFA has addressed more than 150 schools about issues relating to animal welfare. We conduct regular classes in St. Joseph's Boys High School.
3. Our volunteers have spoken to schools on the issue of dissection. Alternatives to animal dissection are provided by PFA.
4. Plastic Boycott campaign has been initiated by us. Thousands of students will be made aware of the detrimental effects of plastics in our environment. The students will be encouraged to pledge to boycott the use of the plastic bag.
5. We networked with organic farmers around the country and promoted their produce in a venture called 'Life- the PFA shop'.
6. We conducted an awareness campaign on Zoo etiquette in BNP.
7. We conducted Environment Quotient Sessions on a monthly basis. These were interactive discussions and a forum for the general public to voice their concerns and decide on a course of actions. Some of the speakers were Dr. Ranjit Konkar (BWC), Dr. Ullas Karanth (Wildlife First), Leo Saldanha (Environment Support Group) amongst others.
8. We along with WWF conducted a teachers training camp. A sensitised teacher would be able to reach out to many students and impart environmental welfare attitudes.
9. We organized and coordinated a workshop on 'alternatives to testing on animals' by Jerry Vlasak.
10. Our volunteers went to Delhi to do a Masters training in animal welfare.
11. We organised a workshop on how to file FIRs on witnessing crimes against animals.
12. We organised a workshop on how to administer first aid to animals.
13. Our volunteers are part of the Censor Board of films in India, to prevent the misuse and wrong depiction of animals in films.