IAR’S PET-CARE
Hoping for a Home 

ON Sunday, November 4, many people yearning to own pets made their way to St Anthony’s High School compound at Duler in Mapusa. There, the International Animal Rescue (IAR), who have their Centre in Assagao, held their second Animal Adoption Camp. 

The volunteers of the International Animal Rescue, which has been rendering outstanding service to society by taking care of stray animals in several parts of Bardez, had brought about 30 puppies, 10 dogs and 15 kittens to be given away for adoption. By noon they had given away 17 animals. These were from the stray animals, which were picked up by the AIR volunteers from some of the streets in Bardez. 

On show there was not merely the animals but the much needed care and affection for the animals. The International Animal Rescue, founded by a Britisher, John Higgs, felt that the homeless strays needed to be taken care of. In Goa too, we found quite a lot of stray animals which needed such human attention. So an IAR Centre came up at Assagao, and the sleepy village is gradually getting known more for the Centre than for anything else.  

Quite often we find puppies and kittens left on the road to fend for themselves. If they manage to survive, they turn into stray animals and head for places, like bazaars and market areas, in search of food. IAR is doing a commendable job in Goa as far as strays are concerned, and need encouragement from the public.

People seemed to hesitate to take the females for adoption because they would litter more puppies. However, IAR sterilise all the animals after six months, free of cost at the Centre in Assagao.

We asked a few questions to John Higgs: 

Q: How did the IAR begin?
I started International Animal Rescue just over 10 years ago (in UK) because I wanted to do something worldwide to help animals. 

Q: You have a fine Centre in Assagao…
I was lucky enough to start this branch up in Goa which, to me, has been one of the most successful. It is one of the most successful things that I have done. The dogs here in Goa are, without doubt, the best in the world. I have just not come across dogs as lovely as those you have in Goa. I cannot understand why anybody wants some pedigree dogs when you have the beautiful local dogs here. 

Q: And dedicated young people too?
I am also lucky that I have a team of very highly dedicated people, with whom I work. And the most dedicated, without doubt, is Astrid, who is my deputy director. This young  lady is one who is responsible for all the hard work which we do in Goa.

And then to Dr Astrid Almeida

Q: Tell us something about the activities of the International Animal Rescue in Assagao.
Basically, we are doing the sterilization of stray dogs. We sterilize and vaccinate them. We try to re-home all the puppies. We have loads of puppies all over the streets, particularly in the markets. 

Q: How do you go about rounding up the strays?
We pick them up. The very sick ones, of course, we put down but the healthy ones we re-home. People come almost every day to our Centre to pick up a pup for adoption, but they are not many. That is why we decided to move out and have these Animal Adoption Camps more often. This is our second camp since the last one on August 15.

Q: Which are the areas where you operate in Goa?
We are doing the North Goa, concentrating on Calangute and the beach areas like Vagator, and now, of course, Mapusa. We even go to Aldona and Moira sometimes. We sterilize them and keep them until they are fine and the wound is completely healed. Then we vaccinate them and put them back exactly at the spot, from where we pick them up. 

Q: But is it not difficult for the dogs to rehabilitate themselves once they have been removed from their regular areas?
We do not keep them for more than three weeks because if you keep the dog for more than that period, away from the environment, then, when they go back, the males have a big problem. The females are accepted. So those dogs, which have maggots, and we feel that they are not likely to be healed within three weeks, we reluctantly euthanise them; there is no other choice. So we return them to their habitats within a week or two and so they have no problem in rehabilitating themselves. 

Q: Your Assagao Centre is very well equipped?
We have kennels and we can hospitalise 87 dogs, about 25 cats and 50 puppies. The Centre is always full. 

Q: Do you take care of pets too brought in by people?
Pets. Yeah. But only if they are badly stricken or if we feel that they are suffering and that people are not looking after them. Otherwise…no. 

Q: About charges?
We accept whatever donation they give. We do not charge them.  

GN