9. Animal Care
to spread Lord Mahavira’s message of Ahimsa. Develop love and bonding for the animals.
In the modern materialistic world, cruelty towards animals has reached alarming proportions. Animals are ruthlessly killed merely for human taste and fashion. Hordes of innocent mute animals are sent to slaughterhouses. Vegetarianism is on a steady decline. But compassion cannot be restricted to only humans; it must extend to all life forms.
Launched under the Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care Programme’s - Animal Care seeks to spread the message of ahimsa worldwide, provide shelter - a safe haven for animals and undertake activities to nurture bonds of love and friendship among all living beings.
Animal Care is managed by Shrimad Rajchandra Jivadaya Trust.
Millions of old, weak and non-productive animals are slaughtered for meat and fashion accessories. SRJT rescues these animals and rehabilitates them at various panjrapoles. It also acts as a facilitator between people or organisations engaged in rescue operations and various panjrapoles for rehabilitation providing financial assistance as well to panjrapoles where rescued animals are rehabilitated.
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The Shrimad Rajchandra Jivamaitridham Gaushala is a project that helps foster love and friendship with the animal kingdom. The ahimsak milking methods used will motivate more and more animal lovers and inspire love for life in millions of hearts across the globe. The Gaushala is presently housing healthy cows, calves and bulls and providing them with the best possible living standards, fodder and a holistic environment. This project also has activities like, seva for a day, named 'Gwala for a day', which gives one a chance to see the animals at close quarters and increase one's bonding with the animals.
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SRJT organises exhibitions, audio-video documentaries and presentations, marathons, awareness skits, promotions of ahimsak articles that propagate non-violence. To promote an ahimsak lifestyle is an integral part of this project. As a result, many people have abandoned the use of animal products and non-vegetarian food, thus enhancing their love and compassion for all living beings. Ahimsa Awareness Programmes have also been held at Dharampur. DNA exhibitions in conjunction with Magictouch have been held in Mumbai. Exhibitions have also been held in Kolkata, Bengaluru, Rajkot, Surat, New York, New Jersey to promote this beautiful initiative to save animals.
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Medical care facilities for animals are poor and expensive and there is a lack of awareness regarding preventive treatment like vaccinations, de-worming and nutritional facts for fodder (for cows) are limited. SRJT provides support to local villagers around Dharampur by visiting nearby villages with veterinary professionals to provide preventive, first-aid and tier-one medical treatment for cattle. Distribution of medical kits and imparting awareness are also a part of this drive. A specialised ambulance for large animals with a special hydraulic system that easily lifts the animals from the ground level to the ambulance without hurting them has been donated to The Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is equipped with the latest facilities to begin immediate treatment to the sick, accident-hit animal within the ambulance itself.
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Various panjrapoles across India are full to capacity, and have a shortage of funds. Thus, cattle are put to good use by rehabilitating them to the less privileged in society. This reduces their housing burden on panjrapoles. The cattle are blessed with a family instead of a slaughterhouse or a panjrapole. They are treated well and given adequate fodder, since they are used for cultivation. Even if a huge panjrapole is made, it can accommodate only a few thousand animals. But through this, SRJT will be able to help lakhs of animals over the coming years. This further reduces the cost incidence on SRJT since recurring fodder expenses do not have to be paid and those funds can be utilised to rehabilitate more animals. It is also able to provide medical assistance to more cattle since the premises is used only for the transit of cattle and their health check-ups etc. before their rehabilitation. Thus, not only the sentiments of ahimsa, but also the vision of making the area self-sufficient, are fulfilled.
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