Photo: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Over the past few years, animal welfare and rights have finally become a topic that is being discussed and taken seriously. With Obhoyaronno - Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation leading the way, many people around the country are increasingly influenced and inspired to save and help animals.

Rescuing has become more frequent among the citizens of Dhaka, and now the compassion is also reaching beyond the confines of the capital. With so many youths now getting involved in animal welfare, or even just rescuing, there are a lot they need to know in order to ensure the best possible care for the animals they are rescuing, starting from providing first aid to managing shelters, and much more.

Rubaiya Ahmad, founder of Obhoyaronno - Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation, believes that cats and dogs are best left in their localities, unless injured or in dire need of help.

“All the well-established dog owners and lovers make maybe only 1 percent of dog lovers in the country. If we look in the slums and the villages, we will find many, many more. These people not only have big hearts, but carry out their responsibilities accordingly as humans by caring for all creatures – people and animals alike. They do not need to give the animals lavish homes. They leave them be in their own places, and give them the food, the love and the care they require,” she says.

Nabila Basher, an avid animal welfare activist, who has worked with Obhoyaronno - Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation, says “There are rehabilitation centres. People for Animal Welfare (PAW) caters to rescues and so does Care for Paws (CFP). Ideally, they only keep sick dogs, not healthy ones, due to limited space, shortage of manpower, and insufficient funds. Not only is it hard work maintaining these animals, but the scorching summer we are experiencing is not making it any easier for them. They are trying their best, and if given the assistance (funds, and later finding homes for the rescued animals) they can and will thrive!”

Currently in Bangladesh there is only one government approved animal shelter – the ALB Animal Shelter, located in Mamudpur, Narayanganj. There is reason to believe that there are more shelters scattered across the country, but even though these shelters most definitely help a lot, there is only so much they can do with their limited resources. “I personally think that when someone cannot keep an animal that they rescued, they should at least try their best to find a foster home first, and if all else fails only then should they seek out one of the shelters,” says Farhana H Chowdhury, co-founder and CEO of CFP.

She added that the introduction of multiple Facebook animal welfare groups have proved to be very helpful in this case.

One thing that rescuers need to know is that not every animal on the street needs to be 'rescued'.

“If you see a new-born kitten, for example, do not pick it up right away unless it is in danger. First find out whether the newborn has a mother or not. Mother cats go out to find food, and it might take several hours before she comes back, so you need to observe first from afar (not too close, the mother cat might not come if she sees you). If the mother cat is taking too long, feed the kittens while waiting for her to return. If you are absolutely sure the kittens do not have a mother or if they have been abandoned then take the kittens with you.

“Litters below four weeks of age need to be fed round the clock, every two to three hours. So if they have a mother, try not to intrude. Same goes for puppies,” says Amy Aporna Baroi, another young activist, who rescues injured animals on a regular basis and finds them homes. 

It is really important to understand the seriousness of a case before you begin your rescue operation – and how badly the animal needs it.

“I usually keep a little bag of dry food, in case the animal needs some 'luring', a small bottle of water, some tissues and a medicine called Nebanol powder (which is readily available at any pharmacy) just to start treatment, if that's what is called for. Raw wounds like scratches, burns and bites usually heal fast with Nebanol powder,” says Nabila.

Her other advice include – if an animal needs immediate medical attention, call a vet as soon as possible from the list of veterinarian practitioners available online. If the animal is stuck somewhere difficult, call the fire services first, and if they cannot make it, only then look for help elsewhere. In case of animal abuse, try and stop it immediately; call for help if you cannot do it alone. Take the animal out of the situation, and then follow through with whatever is required. The people involved in the abuse should be spoken to and educated about this later – you should keep this in mind till after helping the animal in need.

The one thing that every rescuer and activist keeps mentioning is that not all cats/dogs or kittens/puppies need to be rescued. Only abandoned house pets, abandoned babies and injured animals need rescuing.

“Dogs and cats both give birth to multiple offspring, and it is only natural that some may die out. This is called 'natural selection.' At the end, only one or two may survive. That's just how nature works! We need to deal with that, and accept it.

“Most people are looking to rescue animals in the wrong place. Once that is determined, it is also important to judge how bad the injury is – if it is not too serious, sometimes it is possible to do on-spot treatment. Otherwise, they need to stay at a centre,” says Nabila.

If you are not able to handle a case on your own, one is advised to contact the Animal Lovers of Bangladesh group, the Facebook group of ALB Animal Shelter, Care for Paws, People for Animal Welfare, and Raise for Paws – which are all government-approved organisations.

“Other than that, post for help different animal welfare groups like Cat Society of Bangladesh, Animal Care Society of Bangladesh, and Dog Lovers of Bangladesh. Sometimes volunteers cannot be found and if you wait for people, it could be too late – so don't wait and take action,” says Amy.

Noshin Nur, another activist and avid rescuer suggests that if you cannot help in one way, there is always another.

“Provided you care about the cause, you can provide assistance in some way or the other. You can always try to provide expenses for the food or maybe the vet bills, or donate funds. For shelters that take care of so many animals, even a tiny bit of help makes a huge difference.”

Care for Paws: https://www.facebook.com/groups/careforpaws/ 

People for Animal Welfare) Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fundrainginjured/

Check the files section of Cat Society of Bangladesh group and page on Facebook.

The Society maintains a database of qualified vets in different districts of Bangladesh.