Panjim Animal Welfare Society Needs Your Help To Resolve Stray Canine/Feline - Human Conflict

Determination to do something for the stray animals (dogs and cats) started when like minded scientists of National Institute of Oceanography, a prominent lady human doctor of Panaji and an eminent lawyer of the State sat together to ponder over how to take this such social dilemma forward.

The result was coming together of these individuals and starting animal rescue from an apartment. Professionals by the day and animal rescuers after work hours. A now formidable name Ms Angela Kazi held the activities and the people together. This was way back in 1997 and perhaps the first organised rescue operations shelter.

Sterilisation or lack thereof was identified as the crux of so much misery. The shelter renewed its energies towards the same. The outfit increased in size and caught momentum.In 2002, the city of Panaji geared towards – bin free city. A strange phenomenon stated occurring. Suddenly there was a massive increase in dog bite incidents in the city and the animals started pack mentality in chasing cars and bikes.

Shortly the city fathers realised that one action i.e. removing the dustbins from the street corners resulted in reaction – that is - of less food for the dogs and hence increase in dog bites.

The Corporation of City got into action. With participation of the existing NGO and The Corporation of City of Panaji, PAWS as registered as a not for profit Society in March 2003. The land and staff was provided by the City Corporation while the funds for daily operations, medication, and other expenses were met by PAWS thru funds raised from individuals.

The various activities undertaken by the shelter are :

1.Sterilisation of cats and dogs. We encourage feeders to network with us in order to have their packs dewormed, vaccinated and sterilised so that dog population is under control and healthy. This service is offered free to cost. Picking up of animal by our team, sterilisation, and recuperation at the shelter. The dog is then released back in  its own area.

2. Attending to accident case. This service is offered completely free of cost to all strays and to owners who have adopted indies / strays. Started within the Panaji jurisdiction, now we do attend to cases in the nearby areas to covering most of North Goa. The injured is picked up, treated and then released back when the animal heals.

3. Litter management: over the period of time, citizens from neighbouring areas have realised that Panjim looks after its strays and hence litters are dumped at the shelter after working hours. These pups are examined, vaccinated, treated if required and then put up for adoption. These kittens and pups get adopted with our promise of all relevant vaccinations, sterilisation when time comes and medical aid for the rest of their lives.

4. School education : While this is on hold currently as schools are running online, it has been our endeavour to cover primary sections of all schools with in our city to sensitize the children at a tender / impressionable age.

5. Support to stray feeders: While we have so much ongoing at the shelter itself, we extend our helping hand to feeders with daily food. Some prefer dry food that comes in 20 kg bags, other find that cooked food serves their streeties better.

Now that the shelter has moved to its new and renovated premises, the expectations have increased too. With in house hospitalised population of about 75 odd animals at any given point in time (cats and dogs) and a free roaming population of the animals that came to us as kittens / pups and never got adopted, in the last 25 years the shelter has attended to over 50,000 animals in distress.

We are looking forward for your kind Support !

Note: All the donations  towards this campaign is eligible for Indian Tax Exemption