That Raveena Tandon is a staunch animal activist has been a rather known appellation for her by now. The actor has just taken her ‘stop cruelty towards animal’ cause a step further. She has donated about a quarter portion of the land belonging to her sprawling five acre-odd Kanchad (Thane) farmhouse to the suburban Mumbai-based Truffle Animal Shelters. Abandoned animals will be put up at the place. 

Says a source, “Ever since she was approached for the proposed shelter Raveena has been really excited. Though legally she’s supposed to have leased the land for a five-year period, the fact is that she isn’t taking any money from Truffle Animal Shelters. Not many people part with lands on which their homes are built, but Raveena has made an exception because she can’t stand cruelty to animal.” The source adds that the actor will also help the shelter with finance, as and when required.

When contacted, Tandon admitted that she’s given away her land. “We are still doing work on it and once it starts operating, I will definitely talk.”

It can be recalled that Tandon had earlier planned to open an animal hospital in suburban Mumbai with Dilip Vengsarkar’s wife, Sangita Vengsarkar. Tandon is also associated with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In 2002, she shot for a campaign for PETA where she posed with a cow, entreating people to stop illegal transport of cows and buffaloes.

s_ayaz@dnaindia.net