News
Orissa flood relief: From Cuttack to Puri
November 13, 2008, 11:22PM MT
By Sharon St. Joan
Food and medicine for animals caught in the floods
Food and medicine for animals caught in the floods
The Visakha SPCA flood relief team that had been in Cuttack, Orissa for several weeks, moved on October 20th to the district of Puri.
The city of Puri, in the Puri District, lies around 250 miles south of Kolkatta on the east coast of India. Puri is an ancient holy city, with temples that are places of pilgrimage. The beaches of Puri are tourist spots.
The entire district of Puri is one of the most severely hit areas during recent floods that engulfed around half of the state of Orissa, affecting four million people and many millions of animals…Editor
Food and medicine for animals caught in the floods
By Pradeep Nath, Founder and President of Visakha SPCA
October 19, 2008 Today we have just completed the Orissa District, helping the animals in distress. Our team of six are to receive merit certificates from the authorities tonight with dinner. It is a proud moment for them all, and they feel happy. Slogging for three weeks from 6 AM to 11PM with no proper food in the flooded areas, rugged conditions, with their heads and faces sunburned. This is the first time that they have done such intense work, and they are greatly satisfied.
They will proceed to the Puri District and will be joined by a local group and more local workers to form a formidable team to combat the severe conditions where the areas are still in deep water. Reports say the animals are dying from eating moldy straw.
For a week now, preparations have been underway for this operation in Puri, with the local group receiving delivery of food and medicine donated by Blue Cross of Hyderabad.
October 20, 2008 We moved to Puri in the early morning, where there are many more challenges.
The fields and villages are still under water even now, with sea water increasing the salinity of the fields, which means that the soil will not be cultivatable again for months--meaning that none of the farming people will have any income. Many people live in remote, inaccessible areas. People with animals are traveling on the roads to leave the area, and those that remain in the villages are starving, with water all around. People who might otherwise be able to help do not want to go into the villages for fear of disease.
Three days ago, with the help of another animal welfare group there, we started distributing feed to the animals. After our people reach the more remote areas, we will be able to start helping the animals there. As well as feed, we'll be able to provide medicines donated by Blue Cross of Hyderabad and our own mineral mixtures. We will hire local workers to go with us, carrying supplies. We expect to hire more transportation from within the flooded area. Additional food and supplies very kindly sent by Blue Cross of Hyderabad will arrive soon.
We will be putting up makeshift shelters for sick animals. These things are all being worked out.
It is certain that every day we will be spending now at least rs. 20,000 ($400) towards food and medicines. So all help is required. I am not sure how many other flooded areas there are like this.
How you can help
To read more, or to help with a donation, please go to the Visakha SPCA website:
http://www.visakhaspca.org
To visit the website of Blue Cross of Hyderabad, please go to
http://www.bluecrosshyd.in/
Posted by Sharon St. Joan, Best Friends Network
Top photo: Visakha SPCA / leading cows across the flooded river to grazing land
Second photo: Visakha SPCA / Rama Rao, a paravet who's been part of Visakha SPCA's disaster relief since the time of the tsunami in 2004, offering a treat to a new friend
Third photo: Visakha SPCA / giving medicine to a cow
Fourth photo: Visakha SPCA / Rama Rao helps a young girl with her puppy