The Chennai floods have created havoc for man and animal alike. The devastation has been too big to fathom and even now man and beast continue to suffer. While the floods have receded for now, every hand is joined in prayer that the skies hold and the situation does not take a turn for worse again.
People are still trying to take stock of losses to both life and property. Relief and rehabilitation work has started but it is going to be a mammoth task to reach out to all affected people. While the government and many organisations started relief aid work it was only for people while the animals went overlooked. Many of our friends and supporters from Chennai requested us to step in to help the animals but Friendicoes is still recovering from a financial crisis and is in no state to launch relief work on it’s own.
So stepped in our sister organisation Wildlife SOS. A small team of Wildlife SOS members including senior vet Dr. Arun has started relief work in affected areas. And part of the team is Friendicoes senior most vet Dr Prabhakar. The team has so far reached out to animals who have been rescued from the floods and flood affected areas and are hungry, dehydrated and injured. Apart from medical care the team is also arranging food and fodder as well as some temporary rescue facility for them. Many of these animals have owners who are themselves distressed but very happy to find their pets alive. Some of these are cattle who are a source of livelihood for many of these people.
The flood-relief team also rescued a deer from the flood waters. It was a completely unexpected rescue and the team was unprepared for it but they managed the best they could. The deer was in shock and trauma but is now at the temporary rehab centre and is doing well. There are no external injuries and hopefully can soon be released in it’s natural environment.
Locals have also been very helpful and supportive in treating sick and wounded strays who need medical aid and the team has received amazing response.
There is a lot of work still to be done out there and the team will continue for another few weeks till the last animal we can reach out to gets medical aid.
You can contribute towards the efforts by donation through
http://chennaifloods.ketto.org/helpchennaifloodanimals