Author: Anjali Doshi
Publication: India Today
Date: November 1, 2004
Introduction: Abandoned and ailing
donkeys find a safe home at the country's only sanctuary dedicated to them
Donkeys have long been the subject
of ridicule and mirth. Considered stupid animals of drudgery, they are
often beaten by their masters and abandoned once they have served their
purpose.
In Sagroli, a nondescript hamlet
in Maharashtra, donkeys are the primary means of transport used to carry
farm produce, fertilisers and construction material. Despite their utility
they are neglected and abused. Distressed by the pitiful condition of these
animals, Bonny and Ratilal Shah of Dallas, USA, regular visitors to India
since 1986, contributed over Rs 6 lakh to set up the Dharma Donkey Sanctuary
in Sagroli four years ago. The Shahs, inspired perhaps by similar sanctuaries
in England and Canada, established Dharma not only to ensure that abused
donkeys are cared for but also to evoke a love for animals in the community.
The only donkey sanctuary in the country, Dharma now attends to the beasts
of burden from 50 surrounding villages.
The 16-acre sanctuary provides permanent
residence to about 15 donkeys. With plenty of grass to munch on, three
tube wells that offer ample drinking water and a couple of caretakers to
look after their well-being, the ailing animals couldn't have found a better
old age home.
Although the sanctuary houses only
15 donkeys, as many as 3,000 of them from in and around Sagroli attend
its bi-annual vaccination camp. Sponsored by Hyderabad Blue Cross, a voluntary
organisation dedicated to animal care, donkeys are examined, vaccinated,
dewormed and treated for various ailments. The two caretakers, Ram and
Suresh, clean and bandage the animals' wounds every day. Pointing to a
frail donkey named Asha, Ram says, "She was even thinner when she came
to us." Every Sunday a vet from Nanded, the nearest town, pays the donkeys
a visit.
The Shahs were regular visitors
to Dharma, living in the cottage at the sanctuary that serves as a guesthouse,
before Bonny succumbed to cancer earlier this year. "We will continue the
good work she started," says Pramod Deshmukh, a Sagroli resident and main
trustee of the sanctuary. But funds are hard to come by as few understand
the need for a donkey sanctuary when there is not enough money for abandoned
children and abused women. However, it is never too soon to cultivate a
compassion for animals.
