Corona lockdown in India: drama for humans and animals...
India has declared a total lockdown for 21 days. At least until April 14th, all shops, restaurants and hotels are closed and people are not allowed to leave their homes. The curfew - which applies day and night – has made life more difficult than ever before for the 1.4 billion inhabitants of the country. Also, the animals, especially the stray animals, are suffering tremendously.
Before the lockdown, stray dogs, cats and cows, survived on the remains and waste of the restaurants and shops as well as on hand-outs from people. It is often the poorest who will share with the street animals. For them the contact with the strays, the companionship and unconditional love, are the bright spots in their day, in particular for women and children. Having to see "their" animals suffer like this is terrible and many continue to share the little they have, even though they know they are running out of food.
StrayAssist has been trying to improve the lives of strays in Goa for years. Every day, through a network of volunteers, countless animals are brought to the StrayAssist field hospital where healthy animals are sterilised and vaccinated and sick or injured animals are treated, and if needed, admitted. Afterwards, the animals are released back in the area they were found but now with a much better chance to survive. Volunteers keep monitoring these dogs and cats, and when necessary supply additional food.
However, this Corona lockdown has been a disaster. Whereas in Europe we may have to make a little shorter walk with the dog, or the cat may not get her favourite meal, for the stray animals in India the lockdown is a death sentence.
With everything closed, and people no longer allowed on the street, there is simply nothing to eat! Now entering the 7th day, these animals have not had anything to eat or drink and that in a heat of over 30 degrees Celsius. Stray dogs, cats and cows are starving. Many will not survive.
Thankfully, permission has been obtained for a limited number of volunteers to feed and water the worst suffering animals on the streets. However, due to the crisis, extortionate prices are now being asked for many products, including animal feed. Funds are needed so that more food can be bought to save as many animals as possible!
The need is already terribly high. Every day, the Stray Assist volunteers see more and more starving. Already dead bodies of the young and weak have been found, dead from hunger, thirst and exhaustion. Please help to limit this suffering as much as possible. We are daily feeding literally hunderds of dogs and cats.
More information about the work of Stray Assist can be found at: www.strayassist.com
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