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Press Release
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Before
a Live Audience, Delhi Mid Day, Monday - February 19, 2007. |
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C.A.L.,
National Herald, New Delhi, Monday - February 19, 2007. |
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Delhi
not same anymore, says Kavita, THE AGE Tuesday - February 13,
2007. |
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Creature Companions, Issue Jan-Feb 2007, Hats off to CAL, A Home
for Homeless Animals. |
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Celebrate Diwali, but don't shock stray animals.
, Delhi,
The Hindu, Thursday - October 19, 2006 |
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Every
dog has V-Day, National Herald, New Delhi, Tuesday - February
21, 2006. |
HT, March, 2004
Dog, day afternoon and
night
At 5.30am, the Capital is
just waking up. But on the Press Enclave Road on Saket,
there is a small batch of dogs alert, and awake, waiting
for a familiar Tata Sumo that head their way every
morning, through PVR Anupam and then on to the City
forest. Sitting in the Sumo, Irani Mukherjee, founder
Chairperson, Circle of Animal Lovers, and two helpers
hand out food packets to the dogs.
Sitting in her Press enclave office, Irani rattles off
the names of all the 35 dogs en route. She calls herself
a road activist and believes in looking after all the
dogs she knows on the road. Enlisting help from whoever
she can find – jhuggi dwellers, early morning walkers.
“All the dogs I feed have been vaccinated and sterlised.
I look after them and even one goes missing, I make sure
I find it,” she says.
It was this love for animals that led to the beginning
of Circle of Animal Lovers in1992. Starting with a small
kennel in Masoodpur, home to about 25-30 dogs, the NGO
has grown substantially.
Despite battling constant financial problems, she has
managed to set up three animals homes cum hospitals in
Neb Sarai with 25 rooms, an open terrace and balcony for
the dogs. “I would like to have six veterinary surgeons
on call but right now we have five,” she says.
Irani also has bought a 5110sq.metre piece of land in
Sohna which is being used as a shelter for animals.
Irani says that the first phase of construction of the
hospital and shelter is complete.
Irani cuddles a puppy and two cats and says that most of
the people call her the “kuttewali lady”.
It is a reputation she seems to enjoy but adds, “This is
nothing. When I was teaching at Shyama Prasad Senior
Secondary School in Lodi Estate, all my students knew I
loved dogs. So before exams, the students would come to
the staff room and say things like, “today I fed two
dogs”. If they discovered that I was correcting the
papers, they would write ‘I love dogs’ on top of the
answer papers.”
Irani also has two strict rules when it comes to
treating dogs. “I do not believe in putting them to
sleep. If our parents are in pain, we do not put them to
sleep. If our parents are in pain, we do not put them to
sleep. So how can we put dogs to sleep? She asks.
Statesman, February,
2004
BOX
Did Saint Valentine ever
say that love was only for humans? Well, even if he did
members of Circle of Animal Lovers chose to ignore that.
Based in South Delhi, the NGO toils for the well-being
of stray and neglected animals, especially dogs. So last
week, while lovers were busy gazing at each other on the
commercially-driven festival, its workers organized an
awareness and fund-raising programme in a popular
shopping/cinema complex. And drew a crowd. They
distributed roses, suggesting that these could be
showered on pets too, and pamphlets promoting kindness
to animals. The money raised from the sale of roses was
meant for animal welfare activities. “The programme was
merely symbolic to show that animals need equal care and
love. It was just the first step in drawing people’s
attention to nature and the importance of caring for
it,” said Mrs. Irani Mukherjee, the founder president of
the Circle of Animal Lovers.
The NGO has six veterinary hospitals dedicated to stray
animals. It also runs a special canine sterlisation
project under which people in and around Delhi can call
for help. The organisation’s biggest animal shelter is
spread over an area of two acres and caters to larger
animals such as donkeys and stray cattle. “Spreading
awareness is no rose-lined pathway,” says Mrs. Mukherjee.
While making her rounds tending to stray animals, she
has to endure intensive comments such as “If you love
these stray dogs and like feeding them so much then why
don’t you take them home with you.”
The Hindu,
February 17th, 2004
Unique
Valentine’s Day
NEW DELHI,
FEB.16. Valentine’s Day was celebrated in a unique way
here over the weekend by an exchange of greeting cards
and resplendent roses among boys and girls. The younger
generation, irrespective of sex, showed kindness towards
animals- by distributing pamphlets in which kind words
were written about animals.
As a mark of appreciation, Circle of Animal Lovers-an
organisation that works for the betterment of
animals-also distributed chocolates and roses. Apart
from advocates of animal rights, lovers of animals also
attended the event.
On the occasion, Irani Mukherjee, honorary and founder
Chairperson of the Circle of Animal Lovers said:
“Animals have the right to love and be loved. Actually
they are the epitome of love.”
Indraprastha, The Bulletin of the Rotary Club of
Delhi, June 7th, 2004.
ANIMAL WELFARE THE ISSUE DEAR TO CIRCLE OF ANIMAL
LOVERS
Mrs.
Irani Mukherjee, founder Chairperson of Circle of Animal
Lovers addressing the joint meeting on 3rd June, 2004
said:
1. What is animal welfare? Animal welfare is not a
separate issue. It is welfare in general. When we talk
about welfare we cannot compartmentalise the word
welfare. It is related with human welfare and welfare in
general. We are related in a system of nature. We cannot
lose the link between environment, animal and human. It
is a chain and interrelated affair. So we cannot think
animal welfare as a separate and special issue. To me
the special thing in animal welfare is leave them free
without much interference. They should have the right to
live as interdependent as a tree or human. The right to
live and freedom is the key to animal welfare.
2. What is the difference between animal welfare and
human welfare? Whether animal or human whenever they
need help, help needs to be extended. Normally weaker
needs more attention. We the human, the most privileged
of the creature of God, can express our need. Our
family, friends and society take care when we express.
But though animal is a social creature they can neither
express their pain and sorrow to fellow beings nor their
fellow beings can arrange any help. If a calf is injured
the cow sits near the calf whereas known or unknown if a
human being express the need to help, the help will
reach to him from any source. Animals are mute and
silent. They suffer silently. On the other hand we cry,
express and shout. That is why we being superior should
extend our helping hand to the creatures less
privileged.
3. Animal welfare is closely related with religion- We
all know that all Gods and Goddess keep one animal. Gods
are closely associated with animals. We should follow
the path keeping close association with less privileged
creature, big or small. If we crush or hit an animal on
the road and after that go to the temple and offer
flowers definitely we are not looking at religion in
proper perspective. Any moral, any religion does not
allow us to maintain double standards. In practical life
we do cruelty and think God will be pleased only with
flowers. Our true religion is to maintain healthy and
compassionate relationship with all life forms.
4. Why should one spend for animals when lot of people
live below poverty line? It is true that lot of people
in India die of hunger and lot of work needs to be done
in this area. But the word compassion or help do not
tackle this vast problematic area. It is a national
issue and we should go to the root cause of poverty.
Here is quite an imbalance in the society. On one side
we see death and starvation while on the other side we
see luxurious living of the rich. But that does not mean
the rich should not live up to their standards. If we
really want to touch this topic of poverty line then
nation wide movement needs to be done to educate the
poor to control the population of a healthy living.
Government is giving enough support to this sector. But
still the bottom line is not touched for the population
control. Though it is not my area but still I am forced
to talk on this quite often as I spend a lot on animals.
Human poverty can be removed even by self-effort. They
have God given gifts to work, express and think whereas
animals are purely mute. So we cannot neglect animals
just because people are dying of hunger. We are doing
sterlisation of dogs. That means population control
should be done in the poverty stricken area. Y
submission is you should not look down on our four
legged neighbours.
5. Difference between animals and human- Difference
between animal and human is only expression and spine
system. By nature they are handicapped to be
self-sufficient. They cannot earn. They cannot help
their own community whereas human beings literate or
illiterate, rich or poor can express their needs.
6. What is the benefit of stray dogs? Dogs are better
companions than human beings. Their understanding level
is very high. They are sincere, good playmates to
children, companion to anybody and psychological help to
old and sick. I have enough evidence where the sick
people have got psychological help and care. In today’s
small unit families companion animal is very much
required for psychological stability and safety from the
point of modern day society. Not only dogs all the
animals silently offer their services and sometimes may
be more than our children. So any animal near us should
be treated as a part of our society.
7. Circle of Animal Lovers- As the name suggests that we
want to enlarge our circle. We need more members, more
animal activist and more animal lovers from small
circles to bigger circles. We need more likeminded
people to join us. We want to make our circle bigger.
Hence I ask the help of honorable Rotarians.
8. Finanaces: Circle of Animal Lovers till today
arranges its funds from family, friends and public. The
government is not giving any maintenance. We are on our
barefoot to arrange 3.5 lakhs per month as 32 people are
working here on salary and 2000 animals are looked after
daily. The aim of the organisation is yet to be
fulfilled. Aim of the organisation is yet to create a
better world for all animals and ameliorate their living
condition. Circle of Animal Lovers is doing its best but
has constraints of funds and space. The present set up
of 4 establishments is started with personal funds. We
have not got any land donation. We struggle and take
different sorts of fund raising schemes to get the
monthly requirement of funds. We are not very steady in
our cash flow. Our daily schedule is 4 ambulances
running in and around city and 5 doctors attend 5
centers. Our ambulance picks up hit and run cases from
city and around. We treat and then leave them on the
same spot. At present we put lot of stress on stray dog
birth control to reduce the population. Controlling the
population is the key word to help them. We are picking
up the animal, sterlising it and giving free antirabies
vaccination and leaving it on the road again. Other than
the doctors and the drivers there are technicians,
helpers and dog catchers. We have to treat and attend
nearly 2000 animals, which cost a large amount of money.
9. How Rotary club can help us? We are looking forward
to get enthusiastic members to enlarge our circle. We
need a CEO for our organisation who can share some of
our responsibilities with me. To be very specific, we
need:
A little space, may be the size of a room in a good
locality for our patient treatment.
A small plot of land to start bird hospital since there
is no bird hospital in South Delhi. Perhaps at present
we are the only one treating birds.
People who can help us to maintain our Go Sadan in
Haryana.
Financial assistance either in the form of donation or
to help us to organize fund raising events.
I conclude by saying I am really thankful to Rotary Club
for giving me a chance to speak. I would like to request
Honorable club members to give me more chance to talk
about my mission. I need your help to carry on the
charitable work. Any sort of help would assist us to
carry our work.
Indraprastha, May31st, 2004.
OUR
CHIEF GUEST
Mrs.
Irani Mukherjee, holding M.A. (Eng.), B.T., MED, DDE
qualifications and a teacher by profession is the
founder chairperson of Circle of Animal Lovers which is
a registered body recognised by the Animal Welfare Board
of India. The Circle of Animal Lovers is a charitable,
non-governmental, non-political organisation working to
ameliorate the condition of the stray animals of all
kinds. They have three hospitals, two animal houses and
four vehicles running as ambulances. They don’t get any
maintenance from Govt. The Society runs on self-efforts.
32 people, all salaried employees, are with this
organisation. The Society was started by Mrs. Mukherjee
in 1992, who believes in peaceful
coexistence of all living beings to keep natural balance
and harmony. Compassion cannot be rationed is her
theory. Irani Mukherjee has sacrificed, even motherhood,
for the sake of those who cannot speak. It was her
childhood passion and emotion which is now transformed
into action. She started her career by profession as a
teacher.
Times of India, March, 2004.
MCD
PROPOSES PET LOVER’S CLUB
New Delhi:
If you love dogs, then form a club in your neighbourhood.
This is the mantra that MCD is keeping in mind while
enlisting dog lovers and resident’s welfare associations
to form clubs that will take care of their neighbourhood
dogs and feed tehm regularly,” municipal commissioner
Rakesh Mehta said.
Lat year, Mehta had set up Stray Canine Birh Control
Society that includes seven NGOs like Snajy Gandhi
Animal Care Center, Friendicoes-seca, Circle of Anial
Lovers and Animal India Trust. The NGOs have been able
to sterlise and immunize 11,400 stray dogs since
April,2003.
On Tuesday, these organisations were donated animal
ambulances to helpcatch stray animals. “The capital cost
is borne by the MCD but the operational costs like
drivers, fuel costs will be paid by the NGOs,” Mehta
said.
Stray dogs are an urban menace in all emerging cities.
According to estimates, there are approximately 1.5 lakh
stay dogs in the city and about six NGOs to catch them.
“We require about 25 organisations to work in this
field,” an MCD official said. There are about 30,000 -
34,000dog-bite cases in a year and over 200 rabies cases
annually.
The corporation has also asked NGOs to make an areawise
action plan to sterlise stray dogs.
Hindustan Times, March, 2004
STERLISATION DRIVE FAILS TO REIN IN STRAY DOGS
When you
step out for office, a bite from street dog is the last
thing you would want. The truth is, nearly 25,000 people
in the capital get bitten every year, but reprieve from
the harassing menace looks unlikely in the foreseeable
future.
The Urban government’s Animal Birth Control Rules (Dogs)
states that dogs picked up and sterlised should be
released on the very street from where they had been
captured. The rules were notified after the Delhi High
Court held the abn on killing of stray dogs by the
municipality.
But many feel despite the sterlisation programme,
breeding among stray dogs continues unabated.
General
secretary of the resident’s welfare association of Hauz
Khas Enclave’s K and P Block, Priti Nigam, said she had
got 25 dogs in the area sterlised in the past two
months.
“We had started the sterlisation programme in
association with the NGO Cirlce of Animal Lovers. But
now we have run out of funds (it takes Rs3000 to
sterlise a dog)
HT,
February 2003.
LOVER’S STERILE SOLUTIONS: A DOG GUIDE
There are
two lakh stray dogs on the streets of Delhi. And the
only way to control their population, according to Irani
Mukherjee, founder chairperson of the Circle of Animal
Lovers, is to sterlise them. “Many dg lovers in the
Capital think that after sterlisation dogs lose their
mental balance, but it is just a myth. Dogs lead
perfectly normal life after getting sterlised. They just
don’t get into the act of breeding, which is the only
way of controlling their population without being cruel
to them,” says Mukherjee, who is based in Saket and
works with a team of three surgeons who operate the
dogs.
“Usually a female dog takes about nine days to heal
after the operation, while a male might take about
seven. We pick these dogs from different areas in Delhi
and neighbouring cities, sterlise them, take good care
of them during the healing days and then drop them back
in their respective areas,” informs Mukherjee, who
ensures that about 11 dogs are sterlised each day. The
sterlised dogs are marked on one of their ears with a
small cut which identifies them as ‘already-sterlised’,
in case Mukherjee’s unit of men chance upon them in
future.
When her unit of men go to various localities to pick up
the dogs they come across two kinds of people. “Ninety
percent of the neighbourhood asks us to take the dogs
away and never get them back, while the remaining 10
percent, who are dog lovers, tell us not to take the
dogs away. But we want to spread an awareness among all
these people about our mission and objectives,” says
Mukherjee. For this purpose, she organised a ‘Peace
Walk’ at Nehru Park this past Sunday morning, where MCD
Commissioner Rakesh Mehta was also present.
“Because we are right now covering Chanakyapuri and
nearby areas, we thought it would be a great idea to
organise a public awareness meet like this where we
could tell the neighbouring residents of our programme,”
says Muherjee. The Peace Walk was heavily attended by
the residents who stay close to Nehru Park as well as
many students.
But
Mukherjee is upset about the fact that few people come
forward to support her with financial help. “The
government provides us with some funds and there are a
set of dog lovers who help us from time to time. But
there is still not
enough financial support,” she laments. Mukhrjee also
runs a 24-hour service where people could just call up
to inform her of any distressed animal in their
locality, following which the animal would be picked
from the spot, treated and taken care of by her team of
workers.
- If you want to extend financial help to Circle of
Animal Lovers or inform them of any distressed animal in
your locality, dial:
26531419, 26511569.
Times of India, February 2003
NGO
PLANS AN AWARENESS DRIVE ON DOGS
New Delhi:
If a stray dog starts following you, don’t get scared.
According to Irani Mukherjee of the Circle of Animal
Lovers, the dog is just trying to catch your attention
and won’t bite you. And since people don’t know this
aspect of canine psychology, they start attacking the
dog with stones or sticks.
To spread awareness on such issues that often cause
grievous injuries to animals, Mukherjee said her group
would organise a “walking and talking” session every
month, in which walkers in parks would be educated about
a dog’s psychology.
“Just like humans adopt dogs, the canines also want to
adopt people. So they do things to catch our attention
that are misconstrued as intimidating and we react
violently,” she said.
In the walk-talk meets, walkers will also be told that
they can contact the circle of Animal Lovers if they
spot an injured dog. The organisation primarily
sterlises dogs, vaccinates them and runs animal
hospitals. “Whenever we receive complain of stay dog
population rising from a colony, we pick up the dogs for
sterlisation. Later on they are released in the same
colony,” she said.
On an average, we sterlise eight to 10 dogs every day,”
she said.
HT, April
2003.
SHE
LETS EVERY DOG HAVE ITS DAY
Punya
Prava Rath
Every room in Irani Mukherjee’s house in Ekta
Apartments, Saket speaks of her love for animals.
Wounded and all ill dogs lie calmly on the guest room
sofas. Files of her project Circle of Aniaml Lovers are
stewn around mukherjee’s bedroom. A tragic incident made
her vow to love and care for animals.
“My mother was murdered for property when I was 11. Her
six pet dogs refused to let anyone touch her body. That
very day I vowed to protect animals against cruelty,”
says Irani.
A year later her father too died of shock. Soon she
shifted her base from Kolkata to Delhi.
“Here I got involved in activist role. However, I didn’t
know what to do with the stray animals that I rescued”,
she says. The need for a place to help injured dogs and
to start sterlising stray dos gave birth to the
organisation. That was in
1993. Today with three vehicles, three animal
hospitals-cum sheleters at Neb sarai and a staff of 29,
Irani is trying to give stray animals a decent life.
The money she inherited from hr parents as spent on the
upkeep of facilities for the animals. “I had to sell two
houses in Kokata to keep my vow,” she says. According to
Irani government aid is not enough to run the center.
“The monthly
expenditure runs into Rs.3lakh. The government comes to
about Rs.50,000. I have to take care of the remaining
amount, says Irani.
She does it by organising charity shows or sometimes has
to sell T-shirts to meet the center’s requirements.
Circle of Animal Lovers
is a registered Non-Government charitable animal welfare
organization. We are affiliated to the Animal Welfare
Board of India, Madras, India (under the Ministry
Environment and Forests - a Government of India
Organization). We are also registered under Society
Registeration Act 1860, the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) London, U.K.
and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
London U.K.
Circle of Animal Lovers
is a registered Non-Government charitable animal welfare
organization. We are affiliated to the Animal Welfare
Board of India, Madras, India (under the Ministry
Environment and Forests - a Government of India
Organization). We are also registered under Society
Registeration Act 1860, the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) London, U.K.
and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
London U.K.
We invite you - as a
"human being" to be a part of our organization, and help
us to help the helpless. We are committed to the cause. |
