Animal Rahat
***To report an animal IN IMMEDIATE DANGER in the state of Maharashtra, please call one of the numbers below. (If you are calling After Hours 6:00pm-9:30am please call 09820122602).
● Pandharpur 09552552049
● Sangli 09850958484
● Satara 09552553980
● Solapur 09552552048
Animal Rahat (which means “relief” in Hindi) helps over 20,000 animals a year in Pandharpur, Sangli, Satara, and Solapur. They are sponsored by the U.S. animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Animal Rahat’s primary focus is to help working animals such as bullocks, horses, buffaloes, and camels. However, they also rescue companion animals and wildlife when needed.
Animal Rahat is located at Sikka Complex #305, Plot #5, Community Centre, Preet Vihar in Delhi.
Key Takeaways
* Runs sanctuaries in Sangi and Delhi for rescued, retired, and orphaned animals.
* Helps working animals such as bullocks and donkeys. Also rescues companion animals and wildlife when needed.
* Animal Rahat staff attend several Indian fairs and festivals to provide free veterinary care to working animals, and to educate their owners about proper care.
Want to learn more about dogs? Check out my Top 20 Amazing Dog Facts blog!
Animal Rahat’s Mission
Animal Rahat rescues wildlife from life-threatening circumstances, spays and neuters community dogs, performs community outreach, leads innovative mechanization projects to replace working animals, and conducts humane education workshops that help young people see the importance of having compassion for others.
Most animal lovers would be surprised to learn that Animal Rahat was founded by the popular American animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). PETA’s founder Ingrid Newkirk grew up in India and witnessed bullock exploitation firsthand.
Check out these amazing Animal Rahat rescue stories!
The Working Animals of India
Animal Rahat was founded to help the most neglected animals in the world – the bullocks, donkeys, and other working animals of India.
The rescue teaches locals how crucial it is to provide working animals with shade and rest; plenty of nutritious food; and clean, fresh water. They also work to discourage the use of unbalanced or overloaded carts. And cruel, painful devices such as nose ropes and spiked bits.
Animal Rahat has saved almost 300 donkeys, including by mechanizing brick kilns! These precious donkeys are now enjoying their peaceful retirements at beautiful sanctuaries—and they’ll never have to haul anything ever again.
Replacing Bullocks with Tractors
Animal Rahat’s greatest success concerns India’s cruel sugar industry. Bullocks are used to pull carts to milling factories that are overloaded with massive piles of sugarcane. The bullocks work long hours in the heat with few or no breaks.
Many suffer from injuries and “yoke gall” which is a painful swelling that results from the constant rubbing of an ill-fitting, heavy, wooden yoke. Often times painful, illegal spikes made out of bent metal or barbed wire are hung under the bullock’s yoke; which will stab them if they try to turn their heads. (Animal rights activists refer to them as torture devices).
Retired Animals
The solution is to replace the animals with tractors and trailers. Animal Rahat negotiated an agreement with a tractor manufacturer to discount the cost of tractors.
As a result, they have successfully facilitated the retirement of more than 17,000 bullocks from dozens of factories, replacing them with over 6,000 trucks and tractors!!! Several factories are now entirely bullock-free.
Replacing Donkeys with Tractors
Donkeys are suffering in India’s brick kilns. They are forced to haul heavy loads in the hot Indian sun without breaks for food, water, or rest. Their injuries go untreated, and sometimes they collapse from exhaustion.
Animal Rahat is working to replace donkeys with tractors. They provide free veterinary care to donkeys working at the kilns.
And they work to persuade the owners to mechanize their operations, emphasizing the increased efficiency and profits. As a result, hundreds of donkeys have been able to retire.
Animal Rahat Sanctuaries
Animal Rahat has 2 sanctuaries for rescued, retired, and orphaned animals. This includes a young bullock named Caro who had a deep wound on his nasal bridge (caused by an embedded face halter) that was covered with maggots. And a camel named Tracy who was rescued from the Grand Circus.
Check out some of the Resident Bios!
Check out my blog Amazing Camel Facts!
Sangi Sanctuary
The 10-acre sanctuary in Sangl is home to over 130 animals, including dogs, cows, bullocks, horses, camels, and water buffaloes.
Some endured hard labor in the sugar trade or were forced to perform in circuses. Others were rescued after being orphaned, abandoned, or sustaining life-threatening injuries.
The animals have plenty of space to roam, shaded canopies, and self-grooming posts. There is even a pond that residents can splash and swim in to cool off in the hot weather or just for fun.
Delhi Sanctuary
Animal Rahat recently opened a second sanctuary just outside of Delhi for retired bullocks. Free from their past of hard labor, the bullocks now spend their days relaxing in the field. And enjoying self-grooming stations and mineral rich salt blocks.
Keep checking the website for sanctuary updates. And check out this video!
Free Medical Care at Major Indian Festivals
Animal Rahat staff attend several Indian fairs and festivals to provide free veterinary care to working animals, and to educate their owners about proper care.
This includes festivals that celebrate working animals such as Karwani and Bail Pola (aka Bendur). And the Sangola Fair, where tens of thousands of bullocks are bought and sold.
The Chinchali Fair
Every year Animal Rahat staff help thousands of animals at a goddess festival called the Chinchali Fair. Some attendees travel as far as 120 miles. Unfortunately, most families make the journey via bullock-drawn cart.
Animal Rahat urges people to attend via subsidized buses that they coordinate. For those that insist on traveling via bullock or pony drawn cart, Animal Rahat sets up rest camps along the way to provide exhausted animals with rest, food, water, and medical treatment.
They search for bullocks that are wearing illegal torture devices such as spiked bits, and confiscate the devices. They also create galleries of informational posters to urge people to avoid harmful practices.
In 2020 Animal Rahat provided care to 3,800 bullocks and 450 ponies on their way to the fair. And they prevented 3,000 animals from having to make the arduous journey.
Check out this amazing video!
Animal Emergencies
Animal Rahat uses ambulances and motorcycles to reach injured animals. The Ambulances are equipped with supplies for emergency rescue and immediate medical care. And the motorcycles are equipped with nets and first aid kits.
Unfortunately, many animals fall in the deep, open wells which are common in India. Animal Rahat rescue teams are equipped with ropes, harnesses, and rappelling gear to rescue any animals who may have fallen in.
Wildlife Rescue
There is no animal control organization in India. Therefore, when locals find injured wildlife they have nowhere to take them. Animal Rahat’s primary focus is working and companion animals, but they also help injured wildlife.
They have rescued porcupines, wolves, pangolins, and other wild animals who were trapped at the bottom of a well. They have relocated crocodiles and cobras that were threatened by frightened villagers.
In addition, they give medical treatment to injured birds, and rescue monkeys who are being held captive illegally or who have been electrocuted by faulty wires.
Compassionate Citizen Program
Unlike in western countries, most children in India do not grow up with household pets. They are not taught to help animals in need, and don’t know how to properly care for them.
Animal Rahat has developed a Compassionate Citizen program to address this need. Conducted in dozens of local schools, children learn the importance of treating animals with kindness. They meet and groom sanctuary residents, and sign a “kindness pledge.”
Sponsor an Animal
Sponsor a dog, goat, donkey, horse, bullock, or camel! This helps feed, vaccinate, sterilize, or heal a suffering animal in Animal Rahat’s care.
Check out this video of animals rescued in 2020!
Sponsor a Bullock
Bullocks in India are often forced to pull overloaded carts without adequate food, water, or rest. Their ill-fitting yokes can leave serious wounds on their necks. Sadly, injuries, untreated infections, and exhaustion are common. Please sponsor a bullock today!
Sponsor a Donkey
Thousands of donkeys in India are being worked to death hauling enormous loads of bricks or gravel for miles in all types of weather, often without food, water, rest, or shelter. When the tired animals get sick or injured, many are simply discarded by the roadside, where they might starve or get attacked by a dog. Animal Rahat helps as many donkeys as possible. Please sponsor a donkey today!
Sponsor a Camel
In India, camels are often forced to “dance” and give rides for human entertainment. Without proper care, they can become lame, infested with parasites, and dehydrated to the point of losing their signature hump. Please sponsor a camel today!
Sponsor a Dog
There are millions of homeless dogs and cats on the streets of India. They are forced to beg for scraps and scrounge for food among piles of garbage. They have no shelter and no medical care.
Please sponsor a dog today!
Sponsor a Horse
India’s cruel horse-carriage industry claims many victims. Working horses are usually underfed, given little water, and forced to pull overloaded carriages in heavy traffic on exhaust-filled city streets. Illnesses and injuries frequently go untreated, and these gentle animals are often worked to the point of collapse.
The white horse in the photo below was thin and dehydrate when he was rescued. He had a gaping wound on his ankle, and his hooves were painfully malformed. Please sponsor a horse today!
Follow Animal Rahat on Social Media
Website: https://www.animalrahat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalRahat/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalrahat/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnimalRahat/featured
