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These dogs will never go astray

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IDA is committed to sterilisation, treatment and surgery of street dogs
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In Defense of Animals (IDA) had a very insignificant beginning. It was started by a couple of animal lovers in 1996 in a small garage in Bhandup. Today it has five centres with facilities for sterilisation and treatment of stray dogs. And its Govandi facility, according to IDA, is the only centre that caters separately to 40 blind and old dogs.

Five-year-old Roshni was blind when she was picked up as a puppy from a street. She was frantically chasing her own tail, and no one would have doubted for a moment that she was blind. "We still wonder how she survived. Dogs here have their own ward, and are provided medication and food three times a day," said Priya Grover, IDA committee member, who runs her own business in Bhandup.

IDA is basically committed to sterilisation, treatment and surgery of street dogs and cats. However, its centres now house 67 residential stray dogs and even abandoned pedigree dogs.

"No healthy puppy or kitten should be kept here as this is a treatment facility, and they could be infected. But we don't have any other place to send them. We pay foster families Rs50 to Rs150 for each puppy per day, plus food till someone adopts them. We try hard to let them get adopted, but we part with puppies only after the people who seek to adopt them are properly screened and sign the terms and conditions. This year, three blind dogs and 85 others were adopted," said Grover.

IDA takes in dogs that have been badly ill-treated. People rarely adopt them as they often have deformities. Even pedigree dogs don't fair much better.

"Breeders are the biggest threat to dogs these days. Majority of them are not licensed. Someone left a 6-year-old unsterilized beagle outside our facility. They get 14 litters in six years and make tax-free income. And then abandon them. Our slogan is 'don't buy, adopt'. Today, the health of street dogs has definitely improved because of various NGOs," said Sukanya Patkar, co-founder of IDA, who is an executive secretary in a firm.

IDA has 12 core honorary members and a paid staff of 83 across Mumbai. It has a monthly expenditure of Rs12 lakh. They have a special night van which goes around from 9pm to 5am in the city in search of distressed dogs and cats.

Moreswami Malapavlale, brought his 6-month-old puppy to IDA for a check up. "He is not eating and vomiting continuously. It had a brother, but died. I know doctors here will cure him," said Moreswami, who is a BMC sweeper staying in Govandi.

To adopt
Priya Grover: 9821434628
Helpline: 9320056581

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