(IN) VSPCA: Our name change; police cadet training for a kinder world; and much more!

[Guest guest]

VSPCA updateWhere else but India do the police cadets pledge to try their

hardest to protect animals and many pledged to try and go veg!

 

Full report online here:

 

http://www.vspca.org/updates/2009-08-06/index.php

 

Dear friends,

 

In this news update:

 

a.. Why the VSPCA Name Change?

b.. Police cadet training for a kinder world

c.. The Pet Shop boys

d.. More nabbing of the cat killers and cat ABC matching dollar for

dollar fundraising effort!

e.. Catching dogs with nets training for Hyderabad dog catchers

f.. Humane Outreach to College

g.. VSPCA goes to Washington (almost)

h.. Our youngest activists

New name, same letters

Teachings against cruelty to animals go back thousands of years. Alas,

humans are so slow to catch on! While stopping cruelty to animals will always be

a focus for VSPCA, we are doing so much more: preventing cat and dog

overpopulation, promoting species conservation, humane education - the list goes

on. The Visakha Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals no longer captures

our broad mandate. That's why we've changed our name to The Visakha Society for

Protection and Care of Animals. We are, of course, still VSPCA and

www.vspca.org.

 

Police Cadet Training

 

 

This amazing photo at right shows the rapt response of one of several

groups of young, Andhra Pradesh police cadets (3000 in all) recently attending a

humane education workshop by VSPCA. The workshops covered a wide range of

subjects, from India's animal welfare laws to the need for aggressive dog and

cat birth control and humane transport of animals. We were invited to give the

workshops by the Police Superintendent, N. Sanjay of Anantapur. Many of the

cadets had extremely thoughtful and empathetic questions. The workshops had a

remarkable impact on them. They not only pledged to try their hardest to protect

animals, many pledged to try and go veg!

 

 

 

Many of the cadets had thoughtful questions.

 

N. Sanjay writes: " I explained the importance of Care and protection of

animals and opined that those who take care of animals would also be

affectionate and sympathetic towards fellow human beings. The VSPCA members

enlightened us about animal rights and need for care and protection of animals

through Power Point presentations, visuals and lectures and received

appreciation from one and all. "

 

VSPCA hopes to train another 5000 to bring to a total of 8000 police

cadets having their eyes opened to help animals.

 

Please see the full report

 

http://www.vspca.org/programs/police.php

 

and photos here.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vspca/sets/72157621954634902/

 

The Pet Shop Boys

 

 

Pradeep lecturing to the pet shop owners and dog breeders and

trainers in the VSPCA office.

 

VSPCA held a required attendance meeting on July 19 for the pet shop

owners, dog trainers and breeders in our city of Visakhapatnam. Twenty business

owners in all came. It was news to them that we are going to enforce the laws

regarding the sale of animals, crack down on illegal wildlife sales and enforce

proper licensure. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but it a good start as

many abuses are being perpetrated and the animals suffer greatly in illegal and

cruel conditions. With the public's help, we are keeping a watchful eye on their

shops and businesses.

 

More nabbing of the cat killers and cat ABC matching dollar fundraising

effort!

 

 

If you ever wondered what cat nabbers who sell the cat meat for profit

look like, here they are after VSPCA stopped them and a few more teams including

children (we are not showing the graphic photos of the poor tortured cats) and

told them to take up another profession. We even went so far to offer them

employment at the shelter but they are nomads and left town instead. It is true

that these people are very poor, but that is no excuse for criminal activities

and we have encouraged them to reform. No one ever told them before what they do

is illegal and wrong. Here they are in front of our ambulance which clearly

gives the message that animals matter!

 

Ms. Olive Walker, has generously pledged a matching fund for cat

spay/neuter and all your donations towards that for the rest of August will be

matched by her dollar for dollar! It costs just $10 to fix each cat! VSPCA has

one of the few safe cat spay/neuter programs within India. Neighborhood

communities in Visakhapatnam will protect the cats against being snatched for

meat in future if there are not too many cats and they are spay/neutered. This

shows people that cats are valued community animals and not to be viewed as

pests.

 

Catching dogs with nets training for Hyderabad dog catchers

These street dogs (left)were humanely caught after the training

sessions and can be helped now. Municipal dog catchers with humane nets (right).

 

 

It is a sad fact that although Dog Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs are

in effect in many places in India, many dog catchers still do not know how to

use the net but use the catch pole which is less humane. In Hyderabad (state

capital of Andhra Pradesh) from 26th of July to 1st of August, VSPCA and Blue

Cross of Hyderabad jointly ran training sessions for over 50 municipal dog

catchers.

 

Humane Outreach to College Students

 

Pradeep teaching at the college.

 

Just last week VSPCA President Pradeep Nath, Secretary B. Mallika and

volunteers Sivalakshmi and Suchitra conducted a humane education program for 86

students at Krishna College. The students were full of burning questions. A few

even became VSPCA volunteers. We intend to present the same program at the local

engineering college next.

 

 

 

Taking Action for Animals (USA) conference

 

at the Help Animals India/VSPCA booth.

 

Help Animals India/VSPCA was represented by Weintraub at the Humane

Society of the United States' Taking Action for Animals conference near

Washington DC (USA capital). Many of the conference-goers were interested in

India's animal issues, especially those who have traveled to India and witnessed

the suffering first-hand.

 

 

 

 

Our youngest activists

 

Samitha and Sanchith

 

We have hope for the future when people like Samitha and her brother

Sanchith take an interest in helping VSPCA and our animals. Samitha encouraged

us to rescue yet another horse from the streets that we didn't think we had room

for! Thanks to Samitha and Sanchith's family, we do. They're sponsoring the

horse, Vanessa, and our recently rescued monkey, Anjali. Read their stories

here.

 

Our work continues: A new award for VSPCA's work was accepted by our

advocate and advisor Bhagavan Das; and new sponsorship opportunities are

available - please take a look!

 

SOS ambulance rescues, dog and cat animal birth control programs, puppy

adoptions, treating sick animals, promoting alternative animal-friendly

technologies (biogas, vermicompost, etc) continue to preoccupy us in and beyond

our busy 1000-animal sanctuary. We are very grateful for all of our monthly

rs and other donors for helping us pay the bills that keep VSPCA going

- we need all of you more than ever! Please join our effort to make a real

difference for the animals of Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh.

 

Wishing you all well until next time,

Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals

 

Reported by Pradeep Nath, VSPCA Founder and President

Written by Weintraub, VSPCA Representative

 

VSPCA

26-15-200 Main Road, Visakhapatnam

Andhra Pradesh 530001, India

Tel: 91-891-2716124 (office) 2001046 (shelter)

http://vspca.org