The maximum city that Mumbai is leaves no room for much in the way of the birds and animals that may add to its demographic status. Have you ever wondered what happens to the numerous stray dogs, injured birds or other animals that match the human number count when it comes to road accident casualties? Or what happens to those animals that are abandoned due to sheer nonchalance?
As psychologist Varkha Chulani says an animal can love you unconditionally, put off your grief, heal and cheer you, the irony is that there are hardly any takers for such animals or birds when the going gets tough. And a trip into the city’s only animal hospital, teetering on its last legs, brings that reality to light.
Animal farm, alright!
The 136-year-old Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals is in a waning state. Sheila Bhogilal of the BSPCA (Bombay Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), which is synonymous with this place, says, “If some of the buildings - like the 115-year-old path lab - are not renovated soon, they won’t hold up anymore. As the number of animals has increased there is a need for another aviary and post-operative ward. We do ask for donations, but apart from the Wadia and Tata families and a few Jain Samaj organisations, hardly anyone else comes forward to help.”
There’s also an SOS from its 500 odd tumble of dwellers - a rescued pair of brown and white pigeons, a mongrel who was injured by a bullet at CST on the night of 26/11 and other animals. They’ve either been hurt or are sick and even after recuperating, nobody cares enough to adopt or sponsor them - in cash or kind.
Sheila adds, “When the animals are better they are sent to a far off sanctuary as Mumbai has no facility for one.”
Colonel JT Khanna, the veterinarian who also runs the place and treated actor Salman Khan’s dog here, says, “When leaving, Salman wrote that he wished more senior visiting doctors could come here. We would like that to happen, but it costs money. So far we’ve had to make so many pleas even for basic amenities.”
Follow their lead
For 14 year-old Hari Anant Ambani (son of Mukesh and Nita Ambani), his passion is to help animals and he has started a mobile hospital for them. Says actor Sameera Reddy, “I’ve been scratched by a monkey, bitten by a dog twice but I’d never stop loving birds and animals.”
While theatre person Divya Palat and musician Mukul Deora have adopted strays, adman Prasoon Joshi says his office located right opposite the animal hospital is a godsend. “I go there with my team when we take a break,” he says. “I’ve always been an animal lover. As a society, animals are our responsibility, how can we ignore their suffering? After all, it is an animal that can teach you the rhythm of nature,” he ends.
