Deadly floods in India: our veterinary team comes to the rescue of animals in distress
The Kalimpong-Darjeeling rescue centre, built and funded by One Voice, is caring for the animals that are victims of flooding in India.
On 4 October 2023, the overflowing of a lake led to significant floods in the Mangan district of Sikkim in the north-east of India. Torrents of water poured into several towns in the region and caused dozens of human deaths, destroyed houses and bridges, damaged roads… At the site, our rescue centre and clinic rallied to ensure the safety of animals that were themselves victims of this catastrophe.
In the towns engulfed in water, while the inhabitants tried to escape, many animals were swept away by the current or abandoned in the middle of the houses that had been ripped apart and the debris. The situation is critical for them too, especially given that the food supply is insufficient.
We provided first aid on the ground
Local feeders were relieved to see members of our Kalimpong-Darjeeling rescue centre arrive. From the day following the catastrophe, our team visited different towns affected to feed the dogs that were mad with hunger. There, they discovered a mother and her young, just four days old. After having benefited from the protection of an inhabitant who lived near the water’s edge, the family needed to be taken care of. So we took them to our rescue centre without delay.
In Rangpo, we also led a vaccination campaign against rabies, a fight that we have been leading since we first set ourselves up in the region. Many stray dogs received their first dose, while others were able to be treated for skin diseases. While they all gathered, once treated, around bowls full of food, we distributed creams and medications to the inhabitants to take care of their four-legged friends.
Our commitment in India goes back a long way
Our efforts do not stop there and the animals saved will be the subject of a follow-up by our team, whose fight is not new. At the start of the 2000s, chaperones based in Kalimpong had already been successful in putting an end to dogs being poisoned with strychnine, a cruel substance that leaves them in pain for hours before taking their lives through atrocious suffering. By eradicating rabies, they managed to silence the fear and violence that stray dogs instilled in those living in the region.
In 2002, we rolled this action out in the city of Darjeeling by buying some land and building a rescue centre and clinic there. Since, our Kalimpong-Darjeeling team has welcomed, cared for, and neutered thousands of dogs and taken charge of many cats that are victims of persecution. The majority of them have been adopted, while others have found their place alongside us and stayed there. We also go to the surrounding villages to vaccinate and treat the animals of residents who cannot come to us, while raising awareness about their protection.
In a period of crisis, we remain fully mobilised to give support and care to animals from north-east India. To fight for them alongside us, you can sponsor Ron, Luna, and Juno, who have found their safe haven in Darjeeling.
Translated from the French by Joely Justice