AfA, Singapore, India meeting - Adding value to the movement

Last Updated on Thursday, 18 February 2010 00:20 Written by FIAPO Wednesday, 17 February 2010 22:40

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Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations

AfA India meeting18 January, 2010

“Adding value to the movement”

The following thoughts, suggestions and plans were contributed by participants interested in Indian animal protection who attended the Asia for Animals Conference held in Singapore. Everyone present was introduced to the concept of the Federation, the need and scope of a united voice to protect animals in India. Requesting everyone to set all differences and limitations aside, meeting participants were given a minute or two to share thoughts about how he or she planned to contribute to Indian animal protection during the upcoming year. Here is the compiled list of what support has come on board for animal protection in India. The federation is grateful for all the promises and looks forward to including them in the up-coming plan for 2010.

--Nilesh Bhanage (PAWS): Adding data bases, collecting lists of ngos, gathering information about who is doing what throughout India, searching for different funding agencies.

-- Dinesh Kumar, (STRAW): relatively new data base design is an area I could help i.e. google maps

--Shreyasi Majumdar (Thane SPCA): Supporting from Singapore. Freelance writing, business journalism, seeking opportunity to write about international (esp Singapore) activities, education and research. Perhaps building online resource library

--Shakuntala Majumdar (Thane SPCA): dream of working with animals who live on the foundation of life system, such as prawns, lobsters, crabs, etc

--General Kharb, (AWBI):  The Federation is a good thing because there is a need to
-Address issues difficult to take up with the government or which fall outside the scope or capacity of AWBI.
-Improve contacts with animal-friendly journalists Identify animal-friendly advocates to assist with  animal cruelty cases (for example). Please inform the AWBI if you are aware of exceptional advocates.
-Address shortages of AWBI representatives in some states. AWBI appreciates your suggestions or observations about awo’s in the field. AWBI needs people working in the field to issue certificates of fitness –by good people, committed and honest. Help AWBI  identify these good people.
-Enhance the inclusion of environmental issues. Example: gaushala generating electricity.
-BE MODEL ORGANISATIONS. Your professionalism will inspire others.
-Bolster ABC/AR if we are to save the community dogs. I am willing to come to your cities, meet your Municipal commissioners and other functionaries, to persuade them to put up half the funds and AWBI will match, if possible. Several civic bodies have come onto the bandwagon but we have more work ahead.

--Col. J. C. Khanna, (Mumbai SPCA): can contribute any technical course, or help required in training; hosp and college is there, perhaps orientation courses, etc.

--Manoj Oswal, (PFA, Pune): Law enforcement. I can communicate with police officers across India. I can help NGOs who face police problems and enforcement issues. I used to be afraid. Not so today. If FIAPO has a legal division, I would like to be involved in it. In 80 percent of the cases I have successfully motivated the police to act; I don’t mind many calls in a day; I could field 20 calls in a day. also, I am skilled at inspiring media to run stories.

--JB Das (PFA, Bhubaneshwar): Help new NGOs, motivating press people

--C. Narendra Reddy (Karuna Society): court cases are slow and ineffective. I need help in settling legal issues and if I can contribute to the similar problems elsewhere…also, nursing training, as technical support.

--Sandeep Jain (CAPE- India): enforcement and legal issues. Regarding coordination in Punjab, I can, as co-opted AWBI member, I can intervene in wildlife cases or where people deem fit.

--Dr Sandeep, Himachal forest dept. vet with monkey sterilization. We face rules about catch and release with wildlife but often animals are handed over to the zoos. We need tougher enforcement. Rampant use of insecticides in Himachal and elsewhere needs to be addressed. Honey bees and butterflies are almost finished. We need help within Federation to work on this pesticide issue. Environmental degradation related to water misuse.

--Priti Bhagat, (STORZ): endoscopy and laparoscopy technical training offer.

--Rohit Gangwal(RAKSHA): Jaipur: Rescue support, brochures and leafleting, snake rescue, vegetarianism, global warming, and resolution of human-animal conflict, and contribute to data base of snakes and bird species in Rajasthan

--Deepashree Balaram, (ActAsia): help Bangalore-based group to develop campaigns

--Praveen Ohal (HOPE & Animal Trust, Ranchi): enlarge scope of ABC

--Mahesh Agarwal (Sahayog): Media interaction, help gaushalas with training and development at no cost.

--Visanthi Kumar (STRAW): Education, no shelter, and running a successful help line. Make use of infrastructure in existing ngos. I would like to help the AWBI expand the data base it would be a great resource. I will help collect the information. It would be of use through FIAPO also.

--Sreekanth Babu (Animal Care Land): help get cooperation of local government and training in abc

--Sudhir Amembal: (Animal Advisory): Living in Mexico and USA. I volunteer to make myself available with strategic –help with business plans. I would like to pay the first year salary of the exec director of the federation. (Applause!!)

--Nina Kanderian: I’ve seen disharmony in other groups and impressed by your efforts. Wildlife conservation, live in Afghanistan, moving to India, could offer research and information services with FIAPO’s on-line data base

--Azam Siddiqui,  Northeast India…in crisis situations, I search for knowledgeable people to help in emergencies. Develop FIAPO as the strongest voice possible. Interested in eliminating and reducing corruption, needs technical training about how to improve existing situation in my locale.

--Rakesh Kalva (Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Society, Hyderabad): help gathering statistical data and preparing reports. Also interested in undercover work if needed

--Ravi Dubey, (PFA, Faridabad): hope to share my experience

--Puneet Tripathi, (Animal & Environment Care Organisation, Bhopal): humane education and hope to share a new idea, motivational platform for volunteers. I could add value in this area.

--Sanjib KR Das, (PFA Orissa): animal sacrifice and illegal transport activities. Snake catching and other wildlife, I would share my ideas

--Bangaladesh, Raman. Organic farming I am looking at protecting micro organisms. Maybe with FIAPO I can work on something to stop the illegal trading of cows.

--(PAWS), vet student, I will try to convince my fellow students not to approach animal medicine only commercially

--Anamika Sengupta (Mind Life Foundation): PR and help with corporate funding opportunities, and help ngos who want to use dogs in therapy

--Sathya Radhakrishnan, (Blue Cross of India, Madras). Vegetarianism and humane education

--Joseph Reginald Louis (SACON, Coimbatore)  Phd student …animals in emergency situations.

--Lisa Warden (DogStop, Ahmedabad), think tank and advisory group called DogStop. In response to criminal negligence in my city. I hope to contribute in area of governance. Potential is huge to impact civil society and respect for the rule of law. Dogstop has an advisory team including professors, public health and public policy experts. We work in the dog field but it’s a microcosm with potential to highlight broader public policy issues. We can affect the way people view the law in their cities. We should not give up on Municipal Corporations and make them take their responsibilities seriously.

--Smriti Dutta, (JFB India Trust) Northeast. Consulting and education

--Sashank Sekhar Dutta (JFB India Trust) . Delhi. Large animal help. We need a help line. I get so many calls and think it would be useful, it is very necessary. National scope, such as Child Line.

--Ilona Otter (IPAN, Nilgiris): could contribute in a couple of ways. My husband Nigel Otter could advise in captive elephant issues, perhaps with south India focus, and experience in cattle transport. In my own rite could offer technical training for vets and shelter managers and other shelter staff, not only for dogs but for issues related to livestock welfare, training communities to first aid and husbandry skills. Also I can contribute in abc/ar.

--Merritt Clifton, (Animal People): We are an information resource, with huge archives, extensive contacts throughout world on all sorts of animal topics. If you email I will respond. Tremendous expertise in India in many areas, but a major lack is self-confidence of people to stand up and make it known the wealth of talent here. Need to have a similar all-India conference for expertise-sharing, so that you do not need to re-invent.

--Kartick Satyanarayan (WSOS): communicate more, put our egos aside. Collaborate and network, share contact… we’ll save a lot more animals by working with groups in our area.