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  • Plastic Cow Project
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  • Dr. Paw Program
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Achievements

VSPCA is recognised by Animal Welfare Board of India and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. We are associate members of WSPA/International and the RSPCA/UK. VSPCA is the "sister shelter" of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

Activities outside the Shelter

I. Ongoing Seasonal Projects

1) Olive Ridley sea turtle Conservation

• Have increased the number of nests we annually monitor from 24 in 1996 to 427 last year. Last year alone, we facilitated safe entry into the sea for around 43,000 hatchlings.
• Implementing community-based awareness and education programs in 24 fishing villages, with plans to reach-out to even more.

2) Migratory Birds

• Spearheaded the formation of a joint committee, creating a cooperative relationship between the communities of the Telenelipuram district, police, and the Forest Department dedicated to protecting migratory birds from poachers and habitat destruction.

3) Cobra Liberation

• Stopped the cruel exploitation and deaths of cobras during the Nagala Chauvathi festival.

II. Wildlife Rescues

• Seized 34 endangered monitor lizards from poachers and turned them over to the zoo.
• Have completely stopped the poaching of dolphins for human consumption and use as shark bait in greater Visakhapatnam.
• Essentially dissolved the wildlife trade racket coming out of Anakapalle and Vizianagaram by seizing 143 stuffed squirrels and mongooses ready to be sold as toys, and intercepting almost 450 live parrots in a single raid.
• Have stopped wildlife hunting (boars, hares, jungle cats, etc.) within our district.
• Prevented the Bombay and Prabhat circuses from using lions, tigers, bears and panthers in their shows and handed the 24 lions over for rehabilitation.
• Have significantly decreased the use of "fortune-telling" parrots on the beach and the open sale of wildlife meat in local markets with periodic raids.
• Rehabilitate and release, whenever possible, injured and distressed wildlife such as mongooses, birds, squirrels, and snakes.
• Assisted in relief efforts following the 2004 tsunami as well as a devastating flood in 2005 which afflicted nearby districts, where we helped rescue and tend to around 37,000 farm animals

III. Legal Battles

• Plastic bags: won a case banning colored plastic bags in Visakhapatnam. Animals are more attracted to colored bags than clear or white ones.
• ABC: after 4 court appearances, finally got the municipality to accept our animal birth control program, instead of inhumane killing, as the way to handle the city's stray dog problem.
• Bhimili slaughterhouse: convicted offenders involved in an illegal cattle slaughterhouse in Bhimili.
• Circus Animals: ensured the seizure of the abovementioned animals at the Bombay and Prabhat circuses, setting a future precedent.
• Sea turtle conservation battles:
  • in constant battles with the Navy to prevent them from placing a submarine on the beach as a landmark, interfering with vital nesting grounds.
  • prevented the city from expanding an existing highway through a beach where turtles come ashore. The city expanded the highway towards the land instead and we are now fighting to limit the construction of resorts along it.
  • fighting the city to prevent sand mining on the beach, which makes the remaining sand in those areas unsuitable for breeding purposes.

Activities Inside the Shelter

• In 2000, we were declared a model goshala (cow sanctuary) by the Animal Welfare Board of India. We have rescued over 1700 cattle from slaughterhouses and inhumane transport conditions and currently care for approximately 600.
• ABC (Animal Birth Control)- We have vaccinated, sterilised, and released approximately 30,000 dogs and 200 cats so far to control their stray populations.
• Recently completed a cat surgical ward to allow the growth of their ABC program.
• We have completed large enclosures for monkeys, endangered star tortoises, as well as an aviary.
• We use a biogas plant to convert cow dung in to electricity and gas for cooking.
• Cow dung and urine are also used to produce completely natural fertilizers and pesticides to grow the plants and trees within our shelter.
• Our shelter has received the highest sanitation grade given out to animal shelters in India.
• We have excellent waste and water management systems for a shelter our size. A 30,000 litre septic tank handles the waste from our hundreds of resident animals. Rain- harvesting pits and onsite wells provide the enormous amounts of water we use everyday.

Memberships and Associations

• In a unique mentoring partnership VSPCA was selected to be the “sister shelter” of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.
• Founders of ASIA LINK, formed in 2000 in London.
• Associate members of the RSPCA and WSPA.
• Regularly invited to represent ourselves at important international animal welfare conferences.
• One of only three members of the committee formed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which conducts reports on the animal sacrifices that are running rampant through our state.
• Our founder, Pradeep Nath, was selected by the Ministry of Environment and Forests as a member under the Zoo Committee working to increase the welfare of zoo animals.
• Given permission by the Central Zoo Authority to assist in setting up the Large Animal Rescue Center in our city- one of only five in all of India.