Away from city,a home for disabled animals

The cowshed,spread over four acres of land,houses approximately 130 animals,mostly injured in road accidents. The gaushala also house blind cows,those burnt with acid or paralyzed by electric shocks.

Recalling how his love for sick and injured cows led to the project,Giri,who has done a PhD in Sanskit,says: “I was serving at a gaushala in Uttar Pradesh when I noticed that the healthy animals would fight with the weak and injured ones for fodder and space. The injured cattle would eventually die of starvation. That is when I decided to make a separate arrangement for injured cattle.”

Number of cattle injured by speeding vehicles increases during the winter,when visibility is poor due to fog,Giri says. “It is difficult to gather manpower to lift the injured animal. People are insensitive to animals. There are times when we get a rescue call when the wound has started to rot. In such situations,we are forced to amputate the limb,” Giri adds.

There are blind cattle as well,some by birth,others as a result of human interference. “These animals can eat by smelling food,but it is difficult for them to drink,as water does not have a smell. We mix the fodder with water so that they do not get dehydrated,” he adds.

A veterinarian from Pataudi visits the complex daily and administers medicines the injured cattle.

“In our country,the cow is considered to be holy. If I started the project with any other animal,people would never have come forward to help. At present,apart from injured cattle,we shelter approximately 40 animals — dogs,donkeys,cats,etc — who are undergoing treatment.”

Apart from caring for animals,Giri also runs an ashram in Pataudi to care for terminally ill sadhus.