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The Dharma Donkey Sanctuary now has it's own web site! Please visit
www.dharmadonkeysanctuary.org
The Dharma Donkey Sanctuary is situated in the village Sagroli, Maharashtra, where
donkeys are still a primary means of transport. Donkeys are the most useful but the most neglected animal in the area.
More than 5000 donkeys in the area are engaged in human service in different ways.
Farmers rely on donkeys for transporting farm produce, fertilizers and other materials from village to the farm,
and they are even used in construction work for transporting sand, bricks, and soil.
The existing government veterinary services are inadequate to provide services to the donkeys, as it is limited to farming animals only. More over, the veterinarians do not have sufficient experience in donkey treatment, vaccination, traditional herbal medicine and about the proper diet of donkeys.
The donkey owners are not interested in the expense of treating old, wounded and ailing donkeys. The poor, helpless donkey owners leave the donkeys to their fate to survive their rest of life. Sometimes the stray dogs kill such wounded donkeys.
The objective of Dharma Donkey Sanctuary is not only to take care of abused donkeys, but also to awaken awareness and love for animals in the community in general and children in particular. Children have been involved in the activities of the Sanctuary right form the beginning.
Established in January 2002 at the auspicious hands of Ms. Maneka Gandhi, the well known environmentalist and animal lover, D.D.S. has implemented an exceptional donkey care and protection program.
This is a unique effort launched and carried out effectively by an NRI Mr. Ratilal and his wife Mrs. Bonny Shah of U.S.A, who have also generously supported a residential school and the orphan rural boys and girls since 1986.
Moved by the plight of ailing donkeys, the Shahs established the Dharma Donkey Sanctuary at Sagroli to shelter ailing donkeys, raise peoples awareness, and the donkey owners in particular, about animal care. Awareness for animal love, caring for old donkeys of the surrounding fifty villages, and providing diagnostic and treatment camps are the aim of this sanctuary.
Today, spread over sixteen acres of land, D.D.S. has taken an active role in protecting and caring these donkeys. At present there are twenty old and ailing donkeys which have been offered a shelter and are attended free of cost. Trained personnel are available at D.D.S. twenty four hours a day, caring these animals so that old and ailing donkeys can stay comfortably in their last days of life.
Twice in a year the D.D.S. conducts vaccination camps with valuable support from Blue Cross of Hyderabad. In these camps, all the donkey owners from surrounding 50 villages get their donkeys examined, vaccinated, and treated for various ailments. Appropriate medicines are supplied to owners for further treatment, free of cost.
The Veterinary college of Udgir students participate in the camp, providing a rare opportunity for them to check and treat donkeys. Approximately 2000 to 3000 donkeys are treated in each camp, the number increasing with each camp.
Special efforts are made to increase awareness among donkey owners about vaccinations, primary aids and animal cruelty law. The result is astounding response to the camps by the rural population. The donkey owners in particular are encouraging all of us towards animal love and affection.
We hope for the best future for this outstanding activity.
The D.D.S. is gaining momentum in its activities, though at a slower pace. Obviously it is rather a tough job to make the people realize the need for a project like the Dharma Donkey Sanctuary. With our consistent efforts during the last two years we could bring the Donkey keepers into our regular contact and induce the objective of our sanctuary in to their minds.
The following are a few steps we have taken during the reporting period:
- The premises are turning into an absolutely pleasant place. Around 600 saplings of Mango and other fruits have been planted.
- The "Dharma Guest House" has been built at the campus to accommodate the visiting friends, well-wishers, and animal lovers.
- A social forestry is being developed and many useful plants are grown.
- The campus is provided with water supply through pipe lines, electrical bore-well etc.
- As many as 17 donkeys are given permanent shelter.
- Three major vaccination camps are organized during which large number of Donkeys were vaccinated (i.e.710/ 800/ 2000 donkeys respectively) the Blue Cross of Hyderabad provides the vets, medicines etc. for the camp.
- The Government vets extend their services honorarily to the D.D.S. at regular spells.
- A barbed wire fencing is fixed surrounding the 15 acres of the campus.
- A Residential Quarter for the caretaker has been constructed.
- A detailed proposal has been sent to the concerned ministry of the Central Government for a grant of funds to construct a donkey shelter, well-equipped hospital, and staffing, estimated at approximately Rs.27 lacs.
Dog Sterilization Program
There are a number of stray dogs in this area. They usually multiply enormously every year. To check the ever-increasing number of stray dogs we took up Dog Sterilization program. During the reporting period 83 stray dogs were sterilized at our Spay and Neuter Clinic.
Additional Information
Update - Dharma Donkey Sanctuary - Jan 2003
July '02 Update from Dharma Donkey Sanctuary - Vaccination and Deworming Camp
Update - Dharma Donkey Sanctuary - Jan 2002 - 888 Donkeys Plus Came To The DDS Vaccination and Deworming Camp!
Update - Dharma Donkey Sanctuary - Pramod Deshmukh - July 2001
On January 17, 2000 Mrs. Maneka Gandhi arrived at the Sanskruti Mandal School in rural Maharashtra to dedicate the 15 acres of land personally purchased by Bonny and Rati Shah as the official inauguration of the Dharma Donkey Sanctuary animal education center. The parcel of land covered with tall trees and lots of shrubs borders the school and 600 acre government national forest reserve which the school helps protect from poachers of wood and animals.
Bonny and friend
 Over 7,000 local and out of town people attended the ceremonies and all the 4,000 children at the school participated (all children sponsored by families in the USA). They planted fruit tress on Mrs. Gandhi's arrival... now the really hard work begins. Our two vets who stay at the school have to learn uptodate care of donkeys, water tanks and an empty river bed have to be filled with water - boring for it is the first step... natural fencing has to be planted. Corrals and a small clinic have to be built for severe abuse cases and the general treatment of donkeys.
Older students at the school will be building bamboo shelters themselves for the donkeys, and the young children will be providing a lot of tender loving care and petting.
Our work is cut out for us, but we hope to have an animal center that intertwines child and animal rights - a help and education center for the school and the 30 surrounding villages.
We are pleased to provide you with the translation of Mrs. Maneka Gandhi's speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the Donkey Sanctuary in India on January 12, 2000.
With Regards,
Bonny and Rati Shah
Volunteer group of children at the school planting trees on the Dharma Donkey Sanctuary land.
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