(IN) School Children raise money for vaccination of street dogs

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Check-out Today's Hindustan Times Lives West supplement page 3 contains

our school story.

 

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/default.aspx

by Naomi Canton

 

SCHOOL CHILDREN in Malad demonstrated their compassion towards animals

by undertaking a fund-raising

 

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=14_03_2008_583_007 & kwo\

rd= & mode=1 drive recently. Each contributed Rs 20 towards the vaccination of

stray dogs.

Over 200 students from Standards 5 to 9 from the Children's Academy in

Malad donated the money to give 14 bottles of anti-rabies vaccination to

the Plant and Animals Welfare Society, Thane. Over 140 stray dogs in

Thane will be vaccinated from the funds raised.

After receiving the box of vaccines at the school on Monday, the NGO

held an animal awareness drive and vaccinated two puppies and a stray

dog in front of the patrons, the children. The students were also shown

a video on how to become compassionate citizens.

Nilesh Bhanage, Honorary Secretary of PAWS-Thane, said: " I think this is

the first time that school children have collected funds and donated

vaccines for stray animals. We, at PAWS, are very happy to receive such

a gift.

This sets an example on how school children can contribute to this

social cause. "

" The children had been asked to deprive themselves of their favourite

food or sell something to raise the money, " said school teacher Shilpa

Smart, who arranged the fund raising drive along with colleague Rasna

Mukundan. Smart said the aim was to sensitise youngsters towards

animals, rather than throwing stones at them, and to get them to respect

the balance of nature.

" Animals require love, compassion and attention from human beings, they

are part and parcel of society and yet we tend to reject them as our

environmental friends so I am very grateful to the parents for

supporting the project. We need to make children realise that it is our

duty as citizens to take care of animals, " she said.

Dr Nilima Paranjpe, a private veterinarian in Malad, who vaccinated the

animals at the event, said if every school raised money like this,

rabies would be eradicated. According to Paranjpe, 99 per cent of stray

dogs in Mumbai did not have rabies and yet many parents did not let

their children play with them.

Regards,

 

 

Nilesh Bhanage

Tel :+91-251-2625059

Cell : +91 9820161114

www.pawsasia.org <http://www.pawsasia.org/>

" Hands that help are holier than lips that pray. "