Passion and compassion combined to save stray animals

If there’s one thing that purportedly sets us humans apart from other species is our compassion. And yet, it is the one thing that one so rarely comes across in today’s times. As much as we would like to blame the recent maladies in the world on technology and other exigent factors, our intrinsic compassion must not be lost. There are some like Atul Sarin who give us hope that indeed compassion is not lost. 

Atul Sarin’s organisation, Welfare for Animals in Goa, or WAG as the organisation is popularly known primarily aims to help as many animals in distress as they can. This is quite evident when one walks into WAG’s main centre in Siolim. The number of cows and calves that meet you at the entrance gives the term “happy cows” a whole new meaning. The old house is full of rescued cats, dogs, turkeys and several other animals. 

Educated to be a lawyer, Atul grew up in Kenya and the UK and had come to India for a holiday. The plight of stray animals in the country disturbed him and he decided to do something about it. Giving up a couple of successful businesses in the UK, Atul decided to make his home in Goa. He started off by feeding stray and hungry dogs, but realised that this was not enough. He therefore set up WAG.

Atul’s passion extends beyond rescuing and saving animals. He aims to propagate sterilisation of animals to reduce the population of stray animals and thus reduce the abuse and misery of these animals. To understand the impact, take a look at the statistics. Research shows that a single unsterilised dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in 6 years, while a single cat and her offspring can give birth to 4,20,000 kittens in just 7 years. This clearly justifies Atul’s untiring efforts to sterilise stray animals. But he is passionate not just about reducing the stray animal population and saving lives, he also pioneers new programs to ensure sustainability of the organisation and long term goals of enhancing animal welfare.

WAG is also trying to find permanent solutions to solve the problems of stray animals. They carry out approximately 30 sterilisations in a month. In addition, they also have a beach feeding program. At most beaches in Goa, once the shacks are closed in the off-season, the animals are left starving. WAG’s volunteers feed the animals at the beach and in turn, befriend them so that they can be brought in for sterilisation. Atul and WAG also have started innovative programs such as making products from cow dung or cow urine including mosquito repellent pellets, disinfectants and cleaners. This also helps the organisation stay afloat particularly since it doesn’t solicit any governmental financial aid. 

A key ingredient in the success of Atul’s WAG is the volunteers. With a merry band of compassionate and passionate volunteers, WAG gives a new hope to animals. There’s Katrina, who comes from England every winter and spends several hours volunteering at WAG. She not only works at the shelter, but fosters a few cats and kittens at her own home in Goa. Once she is back home in England, she also helps raise money for WAG. Then there’s Di, who’s passionate about the animals and urges us all to be compassionate. The youngest volunteer is 14 year old Gaurangi, who travels from Brittona by bus to Siolim to spend a few hours every week to help out with the animals. She loves the turkeys and the puppies, she says. Another volunteer, John is involved with the feeding program at the beaches, an important part of WAG’s work. There are quite a few other volunteers who work without any expectations tirelessly for the animals they care for so much. 

The organisation has also adopted a holistic approach to animal welfare and raising awareness about it. Some of the activities on the anvil include helping to set up a legal workshop to ensure legal action against animal cruelty and setting up a “cow hospital” to treat injured cows. 

The  key to success for organisations such as WAG is raising awareness among people that animals have as much of a right on this planet as humans do. They are part of the ecosystem and must be treated with dignity and compassion. An effective way to spread this message is through children. However, adults and especially parents must also realise that they need to adopt a positive attitude towards animals so that their children can emulate them. WAG has set up a “School Visiting Programme”, which has run successfully with children visiting WAG’s facilities and learning about animals. Children are not just our future but are also able to influence parents to think and act in the right direction. 

There is a lot of work ahead – most importantly to mould young minds and change the mind sets of people. But any step, even a small step is a good place to start. WAG, Atul Sarin and his volunteers have taken not just steps but leaps, yet have a long way to go. They will continue the good work and it’s up to us as citizens to support and encourage such commendable efforts.