Tezpur-based NGO UCI Foundation’s animal welfare initiative ‘The Voice’ is working for strays by conducting feeding sessions regularly and rescue operations for injured animals. Their initiative ‘The Voice’ started in 2019 with the primary objective of rescuing animals, feeding the animals as well as encouraging people to adopt the homeless creatures.
Speaking with EastMojo, Rahul Pandey, founder of the UCI Foundation, said, “We primarily focus on rescue operations and feeding of the animals. We’ve rescued various animals by far, for example, dogs, cats, cows, wild birds, monkeys, wild snakes, tortoises, etc, and later, we provide them with medical treatment. Feeding sessions are done regularly, and it was started with the initiative. Earlier, when things were normal we used to feed animals four days a week, but due to this lockdown, feeding sessions are conducted regularly knowing the fact that they hardly get anything to eat at this difficult time.”
“The Voice’ consists of four wings in Tezpur, Dhekiajuli, Ranchi & Lakimpur where similar welfare activities are conducted. In previous years, our team has installed several food & water stations created with waste materials for animals & birds in several locations. We’ve also initiated three to four adoption camps where we encourage people on large scale to adopt stray puppies and kittens so that they could get a safe shelter to stay & grow. Fortunately, we’ve seen positive responses by this initiative and more and more people have come forward to help and adopt these animals,” she added.
Initially, people didn’t welcome the idea of feeding strays near their home but with times more people are coming forward and providing a helping hand for the strays as they say ‘Good things take time.’
Ankita Roy, another member of the UCI foundation spoke with EastMojo about the kind of response they received from the people. She said, “In the beginning, people were very apprehensive & they were not welcoming the idea of feeding strays near their home but gradually they have realized that they too feel hungry just like us. So, they started to sponsor and donate whatever they can on their birthdays or any special occasion. People also reach out to us for help even during midnight hours for rescuing animals or animals who need urgent treatment.”
“After ‘The Voice’ was started several animals are getting aid and even our UCI team is really happy and satisfied with the work we are doing. Even though there are various obstacles and challenges like funding, timing, transportations, etc that we face but despite all of that, we try our level best to provide necessary aid to the animals who need our helping hand,” she added.
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