30 stray dogs, 7 cattle, 3 cats, one pigeon: This Kochi couple turns foster parents for all

Most animals land up at the shelter after some injuries—more than 90 per cent of which are due to them being hit by vehicles.
The Kochi couple who foster stray animals. (Photo| EPS)
The Kochi couple who foster stray animals. (Photo| EPS)

From cats, dogs and cows to owls, pigeons, kites and crows, Ushma  Shah’s home in Mattancherry, Kochi, has place for all. Along with her husband Dinesh, she cares for as many as 35 dogs, seven cows and calves, one pigeon, and three cats. The brood is constantly increasing just like a few days ago when Usha was woken up at 4 am by barking down a long passage outside her home. On reaching the spot she found a brown dog with a wound on its back, waiting for his saviour.  

Most animals land up at the shelter after some injuries—more than 90 per cent of which are due to them being hit by vehicles. “Street dogs, as well as abandoned pets, quite often fail to judge the proper distance at which a bike or car is moving. That’s why they get hit so often,” says Dinesh.   
One dog was hit so hard that his eyeballs popped out. By the time, he was taken to the doctor, it was too late. “He is blind now,” says Dinesh, with a sad shake of his head. Apart from accidents, dogs also suffer from skin diseases, cancers, paralysis, tumours, nerve and kidney problems. “Their constitution is no different from ours,” says Ushma. 

“They feel pain like we do. They get emotionally upset. But we have not been taught to observe this. We eat animals, so how can we feel for them?” 

On the other hand, Ushma feels the love animals have for humans is unconditional. In 2018, the shelter, which is part of the Delhi-based Dhyan Foundation, received a grant from the Jeanne Marchig Animal Welfare Award in Scotland. The award was given through the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations at their ‘India For Animals’ event at Hyderabad. As for the Foundation, animal welfare is at the core of their activities. 

“We have centres all over India as well as 30 cow shelters,” says cardiologist Dr Prasan Prabhakar, head of the Kochi chapter. Meanwhile, in Kochi when a cow is injured or falls sick, there is no place apart from this shelter.

The husband-wife team, who gave up their respective careers as a businessman and chartered accountant, say that just like animals even birds need timely treatment. “Many birds get injured when they graze against the strings of kites. Sometimes, these strings are coated with powdered glass. The birds are not able to see it, and hit the string and damage their necks or wings,” says Dinesh. “Most of the time the birds don’t survive because the stress they go through while struggling to free themselves from the string becomes too much,” says Ushma.  “This is our life’s mission now—to help as many animals and birds in need,” they say in unison. 

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