People For Animals - India's largest Animal welfare organization by Maneka Gandhi

PFA-Goa was founded in 1996. It was formally registered in March 1999.  It has the distinction of being the first animal welfare organisation to be registered in the state of Goa.  To date it has constructed three animal shelters in Goa – first in Panaji 1999 (it is now taken over by the Corporation); the second in Vasco (Mormugao taluka) in 2003; and the third in Curti Khandepar village (Ponda taluka) in 2005.

PFA began its ABC progamme in Panaji in 1999, pursuant to directions from the High Court which was hearing a PIL to stop the shooting of stray dogs in Goa.  Its present areas of operation are Mormugao and Ponda talukas.  PFA sterilises on average 250 dogs per month at both its animal shelters and has covered around 30,000 stray dogs under the ABC programme in the past decade.

Other activities are:

Anti-Rabies Vaccination Drives:
To make Goa free from rabies PFA launched in January 2005 an intensive door-to-door Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programme for household/pet dogs especially in the panchayat areas of Goa.  On request from panchayats, municipalities, housing colonies, public and private institutions, PFA sends its team to the area to vaccinate the pet dogs.  Every area that has been covered is revisited the next year for re-vaccination of the animals.  Approximately 15 village panchayats are covered in Mormugao, Ponda and Tiswadi taluka under PFA’s ARV programme.

Adoptions :
PFA also encourages people to adopt puppies or kittens that have been abandoned in public places.  It also tries to persuade residential colonies to adopt strays a colony pets so that the dogs become familiar with persons from that area, and have a safe place to stay.

Rescue and Emergency Relief:
PFA attends to emergency cases of animals injured in accidents on roads, animals fallen in wells or inadvertently trapped and requiring medical attention.  A large number distress calls from the rural areas about snakes found in residences.  PFA staff are trained in snake handling and attend to all such calls, most of which are usually at night.

Cattle Rehabilitation:
Rehabilitation of stray and abandoned cattle found in the municipal areas to people in rural areas who have expressed willingness to look after them along with their cattle is conducted on a small scale.  Injured cattle are also cared for at both the shelters.

Education Programmes:
PFA regularly conducts education awareness programmes on the need for preservation of wildlife in association with the Forest Department of the Govt of Goa.  These programmes are conducted in schools, colleges and other public institutions on request. A slide show accompanies the interactive talk.

Court Cases:
PFA filed two Public Interest Litigations in the Bombay High Court at Goa to stop cruelties on animals.  The first was to stop bullfights, the second (along with IAR), to stop the shooting of stray dogs.  Both cases were successfully concluded and in fact the Goa State Advisory Board for Animal Welfare was also set up as a result of these proceedings.

Staff:
PFA has two full-time veterinary doctors and a total of 14 staff members at both its shelters.  Their work is supervised by the trustees, whose work is entirely voluntary and brings with it the necessary dedication that a project of this magnitude requires.

Award:
In 2000, PFA-Goa was conferred the Jeev Daya Puraskar by the Animal Welfare Board of India. [Image Gallery]