What Is Suffering?

• An act of insane cruelty burnt the skin off a dog's back.
  
• Another dog half-died of fright because of a fire cracker was tied to his tail and set alight.
  
• A buffalo with festering sores on his back, was hitched to the yoke day after agonizing day.
  
• Camels used for joy rides on Bombay's beaches die a painful death in 6 to 8 months. Camels cannot live in a saline atmosphere.
  
• A performing bear dances in pain when the metal ring through its nose is pulled, often so hard, it rips the cartilage.
  
• A monkey chained to a tree in pouring rain, nearly chokes to death, trying desperately to get to a dry spot.
  
• A horse, underfed and over-burdened, was whipped till it bled for slowing down while carrying a load of well-fed, happy tourists.
  They were all brought to The BSDPH and like thousands of their kind, were treated and housed till they were well and could be taken home or till a good home could be found for them. Quite a few have become permanent residents of the hospital.

Inhuman humans
Remember those 'exciting' camel rides on Juhu beach… joy and laughter ringing along the sandy stretch… even as an anima in acute pain cries silently! Yes, how many of you are really aware of the painful fact that Mumbai's humid, saline atmosphere harms camels and the poorly maintained animals die within a year of arriving in the city. Banning of camels in Mumbai had been on our agenda since the 1980's but we succeeded only in 1996, after more than a decade of relentless campaigning.

Are you aware the monitor lizards are brought to the city and boiled alive for their oil by 'medicine men'? When nabbed, we ensure these people are punished under the law and the rescued lizards sent to special reptile parks or released in sanctuaries in Mumbai or Pune.

In the name of religion, snakes with their mouths sewn are paraded for milk and money. It is a scientific fact that snakes cannot digest milk and will die on consuming it. Imagine, our ignorance is only making a criminal healthier… physically and financially.

Even reel life abuses wildlife
When you enjoy an animal's performance in a movie, do you honestly believe that it feels like a star too, sharing the limelight with the hero? If only you were aware of their plight - a painful journey from the jungles to cramped cages and blinding lights … A Hindi film Betaj Badshah had a leopard in the cast. A few people alleged that the anima's mouth was sewn during the shooting and his claws removed. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, ordered an enquiry and deputed our Secretary to substantiate to allegations. Following an extensive investigation, people involved in the making of the film were interrogated and the findings sent to the Government of India and the Animal Welfare Board of India. Here again, all we did was try and restore to this animal his rights to be free, and provide him an opportunity to play his natural role in our eco-system.

Below listed are some of our rescue operation stories. Kindly click on the title to read the entire story.

• Monkey's Story - "Chotu" A Monkey Under Treatment
  A Langoor came to our hospital with wound on right forelimb and left forelimb paw.
  
• Horses Story - Jai and Veeru got a second life after meting with horrified accident
  A case of illegal Horse Cart Racing taken place on Eastern Express Highway on Sunday.
  
• Pig Story - "JOJO" - Real Fighter
  A white pig rescued from Malad and is in the shelter since last 5 years.
  
• George Bull's Story
  A two years old Bull that was being taken for slaughter to the Deonar Abattoir on New Year’s Day managed to escape and ran into scrap yard at Tilak Nagar where it kept the butcher’s at bay for 20 hours.
  
• Rescue of Snake (Python)
  First time ever Rescue Operation was carried out in the middle of the Sea.
  
• "Zumroo" The Hairy Goat
  A goat admitted on 5 October 2006 for generalized dermatitis.
  
• Rescue of Squirrel
  A Squirrel was rescued by an animal lover in Matunga area.
  
• A Sheep's Story - 'Sam Found Himself Abandoned'
  7 months male sheep found himself abandoned by the owner in a pathetic state of wound on the lower jaw and gum, full of maggots.
  
• 'Malini' Rescued - Cat In Buddy House
  A female Cat, Color: Brown was admitted at the hospital for wound on the neck.
  
• Lovebird's Rescue
  A lonely stuntman’s death left abandoned 28 lovebirds.
  
• Rescue of Camel to be Sacrificed on Bakri-Id
  Bombay SPCA rescued 4 year old camel that was being prepared for sacrifice on the occasion of Bakri-id at Dongri.
  
• Bhola - Found a New Home at Petit Hospital for Animals
  A kankrej bull came to the hospital for a maggoted wound at right hind leg.
  
• "Golu" Faught Back From The Accident
  A 3 months Puppy came to our hospital as an accident case.
  
• Horse Rescue
  Two black horses has been rescued from Andheri and brought to the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals at the request by Andheri Police Station.

When an earthquake struck Latur and Osmanabad District (Maharashtra State) in September 1993, the BSPCA rushed to the rescue of the disaster-struck animal victims. Within 36 hours of the earthquake, our team of 45 veterinarians and para-medical staff reached the first of the devastated villages. Over the next 5 days, our team covered 23 villages and attended to numerous emergencies, providing first aid, saving trapped animals, carrying out mass vaccinations to curtail the risk of epidemics, disinfecting areas, arranging for burial/cremation of carcasses and providing for animal feed. Meticulous records were handed over the Animal Husbandry authorities for follow-ups. More than Rs. 75,000 worth of medication, generously donated by a number of local pharmaceutical companies and retail outlets, were made available at very short notice. Over 2,500 animals were vaccinated and 224 treated daily, over an area of 2,600 kms… Our country had never seen an operation of such magnitude for disaster-struck animals - a dedicated team effort that warms our hearts even today.