Help Dharamsala's Street Dogs on #GivingTuesdayNow During Covid-19

Dharamsala Animal Rescue, Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook.

If you've visited my blog before then you might have read about Dharamsala Animal Rescue, an animal welfare NGO in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh State, North India that works to end human deaths by rabies, provides humane animal control and rescue programs, adoption, and community education.

I've visited the NGO a few times, most recently in November 2019, and am a big fan of their work and the dogs.

Street dogs all over the world are suffering now due to a lack of food. Dharamsala Animal Rescue (DAR) is one of the many organizations hard at work helping dogs survive the lockdowns.

Shivu Chauhan with Dharamsala Animal Rescue resident dogs, Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook.

Help Animals India explained things in the email update I received from the NGO on April 2.

"As bad as it is for people, imagine being a street dog, cat or cow in one of the developing countries in the world? Now imagine that all of the tourists have fled, all hotels and restaurants shuttered as well as all vegetable markets and food vendors. Imagine that you go to the place you go every day to eat from heaping garbage piles that these establishments throw out each day and finding nothing there. The hunger and desperation becomes intolerable. There is no one outside to see you suffer or lend a small bite of food. They are scared to come out of their homes and you starve to death."

If you are able then please help Dharamsala Animal Rescue by making a donation on Tuesday, March 5, 2020 #GivingTuesdayNow. Please share this story to help raise awareness.

Here is the most recent email update I've received from Dharamsala Animal Rescue, sent on April 23.

Dharamsala Animal Rescue

Dharamsala Animal Rescue logo, www.dharamsalaanimalrescue.org.

So much has happened since I last wrote to you!

I tried something new and put updates with footage of our work in a video. Let me know what you think.

[Watch Deb's video on the Dharamsala Animal Rescue YouTube channel.]

Here is the synopsis:

Dharamsala has been on complete lockdown for over one month now. No one is allowed outside of their homes except from 8am to 11am to go to the stores for food if necessary.

With everyone at home and all businesses, hotels, and restaurants being closed there is no food source for the stray animals. Along with this, many animals are still injured and ill and in need of emergency rescue.

After a week of asking the local government for a pass to allow us to rescue animals in need of emergency care and to provide food to the street animals, DAR was finally granted permission.

Dharamsala Animal Rescue staff member feeding a street dog, Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook.

We know that there are approximately 4200 dogs just in one section of lower Dharamsala thanks to our annual population counts. That is a lot of mouths to feed! We are encouraging everyone to feed animals outside of their homes. One family is feeding 130 dogs every day - which is amazing.

We are also still executing emergency rescues - Ghewar pictured below - was found missing most of his hind leg. With lockdown rules (only staff living close to DAR can work), and our vet stuck in Australia, we needed to get permission to take Ghewar to an emergency vet 1.5 hours away. His amputation is now scheduled for this coming week.

Ghewar, Dharamsala Animal Rescue newsletter.

We Can't Thank you Enough

I know this time is difficult for everyone, which is why your continued support is so amazing.

If you can, please consider a monthly donation to help us sustain our programs and keep our staff employed during this time. Just $10 a month goes an incredibly long way in India.

We are determined to do everything we can during this difficult time to ensure the voiceless dogs stay healthy during this crisis.

With gratitude,

Deb Jarrett, Founder & Executive Director

More Updates

Dharamsala Animal Rescue, Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook.

Read the April 9, 2020 Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook post:

"WE'VE GOT OUR FEEDER PERMIT! Yay!!!

"Finally, after weeks of following up and chasing the authorities, we were granted the feeder permit that will allow us to go out and feed the strays without fear of getting reprimanded or challenged.

"We have received only one feeder pass, and are covering the areas of Mohli, Khaniyara, Rakkar & Sidhbari for now, and are trying to expand everyday, with a one-time feed every morning. It's nowhere close to what we wanted, but we are making do with what we've got.

"We might be working with a very limited staff right now, but there is no shortage of compassion and dedication! Our tiny little team of 4 is working like a powerhouse and making up for the absence of over 50% of the team."

The Dogra Family and friends, Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook.

Watch a short video on the Dharamasala Animal Rescue Facebook page about the Dogra Family and their friends who are cooking for and feeding 130 street dogs daily. They are covering the areas of Kotwali market, Cantt road, Dharamsala Bus stand, Maximus mall and the Old bus stand. They do all of this from 8:00-11:00 AM when allowed outside.

The Dogra Family, Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook.

Donate

Dharamsala Animal Rescue is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations to help India's street dog population as well as eradicate the deadly disease of rabies which kills 1 person every 30 minutes in India - the majority of whom are impoverished children.

As a supporter you will be giving these animals a second chance at life and preventing needless human deaths.

To help, considering becoming a monthly donor or make a one-time gift. You can also donate through the Dharamsala Animal Rescue Facebook page or sponsor a dog living at Dharamsala Animal Rescue paying by the month or the year.

Learn more about how the pandemic is affecting animals in India and what different NGOs are doing to help by following Help Animals India and Vets Beyond Borders on Facebook or on the Help Animals India website and Vets Beyond Borders website.