Whether it is providing a shelter to ailing animals or taking up cudgels for a cause, Snehal Bhatt has done it all. Swati Sucharita finds out more

"Unseen they suffer, unheard they cry, In agony they linger, in silence they die,
Is it nothing to you, all those who pass by?"

But this 40-year-old is different. As Snehal Bhatt, President and Founder Trustee, Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA), walks into her home, which doubles up as an animal shelter (though she would rather term it the other way around), her eight-year-old son bounces up excitedly to see what his mother has brought home. Well, today is the turn of a monitor lizard and a giant cobra, which had wandered into different industrial plants, and had been rescued by the GSPCA.

Besides electrocuted monkeys and motor-hit cows and pigs, the GSPCA also houses crocodiles rescued during the monsoons. Baroda has probably one of the very few instances recorded where crocodiles strayed into human habitations and attacked people, especially when provoked. "Thanks to the prolific breeding of the crocodiles, teamed with the drying up of water bodies, and saturation of the Ajwa Reservoir in Baroda, there are fights over territorial rights; the bigger crocodiles chase away the smaller ones into the Vishwamitri River. The latter then surface on the lawns of farmhouses located on the river banks. The sight of a six-foot crocodile, sunning itself with its huge jaw wide open, can be a real shock to people who very often start harming it physically with stones and sticks," says Snehal.

Rescue And Release

The rescue operation is simple; when the GSPCA official is informed, the caller is asked to keep a close watch on the reptile and not make any noise. Once the team approaches, the crocodile is first blindfolded and then nabbed by tieing a gunny bag over the eyes; then the head, jaws and tail. All trussed up, the crocodile is carried to an ambulance to be released right back into the reservoir. The released crocodiles often find refuge back in the Dangs Valley, where they can be released into the Jhambhughoda Dam or other water bodies around. The release operation is carried out with the help of the forest service officials, who keep count of the rescued crocodiles by putting the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) coded tags around their necks. The coding aids in determining the number of rescued animals. A total of 115 crocodiles has been rescued since the GSPCA inception.

Cause For Concern

The protection of barn owls and the almost extinct Great-Horned Owl, which is sacrificed for voodoo, is another issue that demands attention. Prior to the slaughter, the owl is sedated with alcohol and poked at until it hoots twice. Before it can hoot for the third time, (if the Tantric believes there is a bad omen), the bird's wings are clipped, the eyes are gouged out and the poor being killed in one stroke. "Recently, in a span of just two days, we spotted two horned owls tied with wire. We traced the person who had traded the owls to the people who had performed the heinous acts. The owls were however released in the Indroda Park in Ahmedabad with the help of forest officials. Some of the rescued Great Horned Owls are also sometimes released in the dense forest areas of Junagadh and Ratanmahal," reveals Snehal. What irks the GSPCA members is that there is no basic awareness among people regarding animal rights. "I have this ongoing battle against the priests of a particular Hanuman temple, where three elephants are being kept without any ownership certificates. These elephants are taken out on religious processions for hours in the hot sun, without proper food or water. Two years ago, a couple of elephants died as they had been forced to travel back by night after a function. It is a known fact that elephants, in principle, cannot see well at night."

For A Better Tomorrow

While GSPCA tries to promote awareness among young children, it believes that basic kindness towards animals has to be nurtured by leading the path. Today, it has volunteers, who have formed the 'Animals Saving Groups' at Unnai (in the district of Dangs), Khergam (Valsad) and Navsari. These groups come under the aegis of the GSPCA. "At the GSPCA, our underlying philosophy is based on Gandhiji's statement that any society is judged by the way it treats its animals," concludes Snehal.

You Can Make A Difference

• If you witness an animal being cruelly treated, contact an animal rescue cell immediately.

• Stay informed of current animal welfare issues, sign petitions and write letters to concerned authorities.

• Treat your own pets well, and pass along the word!

• Visit websites that inform visitors about specific issues of abuse or educate them about animal care.

• Volunteer at a local animal shelter - you can make some wonderful friends there - two legged and four legged! If you can't set aside the time, donate for the good cause.

Would You like To Volunteer?

Contact Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (GSPCA), 60, Kunj Society, Alkapuri, Vadodara.
Tel: 0265-2340347, 98250-11117
Email: gspca@d2visp.com