The Animal Care Trust (ACT) was started in the year 2000, on the 31st of March. It is a registered trust which has been recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India. Ms. Suma R Nayak, who is the trust’s Hon. Treasurer and trustee along with six other trustees decided to start a charitable hospital and shelter for sick, injured, stray animals and birds. Back then, in the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, no other organisation existed to provide care for animals that needed it.
Today, after 21 years, ACT stands as a monument of love and compassion for all animals and birds. Some of the main programmes under the ACT include:
- Animal Birth Control and Anti Rabies vaccination (ABC/ARV) on street dogs and cats
- Animal adoptions which include finding homes for homeless puppies and kittens
- Animal Rescue for those who have been injured in accidents or otherwise
- Anti Rabies and Sterilization Camps
- Humane Education Programmes
Suma R Nayak mainly looks after the ACT shelter and coordinates the activities held by the trust. She is a lawyer by profession and is also a mother of two children. She has dedicated her life to protect and care for stray animals and birds with the help of her very supportive and compassionate team of trustees, volunteers and staff.
A brief idea of the timeline of the trust would include having rescued more than 45,000 animals and birds in the past 21 years. The ACT has helped 15,000 puppies and kittens to find good homes and get adopted. It has also conducted various ARV camps with an educational purpose.
The aforementioned ABC/ARV program is conducted in collaboration with the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) which is a project under the Government of India that aims to humanely control the dog population and spread of rabies in the city of Mangalore through a systematic and scientific approach.
Another notable programme under the trust is the “Let’s Go Desi” project which aims to persuade individuals to adopt dogs and cats that are of Indian breeds in general.
An unprecedented challenge presented itself in 2020 in the form of COVID-19. However, instead of cowering before it, the volunteers at ACT took to the streets to feed more than 2500 animals every day.
This exceptional dedication and hard work displayed by the team has not gone unnoticed. Ms. Nayak has received several awards for her love and service towards Animal Welfare by PETA, FIAPO and other organisations. Spearheading the trust alongside her are :
- Mr Charles C I Paul who is the managing trustee
- Mr Giridhar Kamath who is the honourable secretary
- Dr Manohar Upadhyaya, Mr Ganesh Pai, Dr Shivaram Karikal and Bharat Jain are trustees.
From 2019 till this year, the trust has made possible 1,798 ABCs and ARVs along with 965 Re- Vaccinations. Some other thoughtful initiatives the trust has undertaken include the distribution of collars under a programme titled The Reflective Collard Project. Over 400 collars have been distributed under the same. Through The Water Bowl Project, more than 170 water bowls have been distributed. Around 1700 animals and birds were rehabilitated through rescue operations. A new Puppy Run Area has been inaugurated at the shelter situated in Shakthi Nagar. They also have a helpline number that is active all year round in the service of animals in distress. A total of 1,670 telephone calls were received by the trust in the year 2019-2020 through their helpline.
Majority of the birds rescued so far are kites after which come legions and bulbuls. Muniyas and a few peacocks have also been rescued.
A shelter this big and a trust such as this have a lot of things to look into like requirements of cleaning materials and medicines required for appropriate treatment. All of this usually costs a lot and therefore the trust has always welcomed donations from those who wish to be able to do something for the animals at the centre. Food for animals is also another category into which a lot of money is invested. Furthermore, surgeries are also performed as part of treatments at the shelter for which different surgical consumables are required. All in all, the Animal Care Trust does everything in its power to ensure that the animals are given all that they need which includes intangible things like love, care, compassion, alongside tangible substances like medicine, food, water and more.
Contact Animal Care Trust:
For all inquiries about donations, fostering, sponsoring a pet, adoptions, lost and found pets, abandoned animals, reporting for sterilizations etc, please contact using one of the channels below:
Message : Facebook | Instagram | 8217580842 (Whatsapp only) | Website
**In case of an emergency**
To report an animal in distress or reporting a rabid animal, please call at: 88670 21053
All written correspondence can be directed to:
Animal Care Trust
Regd. Office at: Albuquerque Chambers
Pandeshwar, Mangalore – 575001, India
Animal Shelter is located at:
“Vatsalya”, Near Shaktinagar Water Tank
Shaktinagar, Mangalore – 575016, India
Phone : +91 88670 21053
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