Step into this private shelter in Greater Noida and you will be greeted by two-year-old Khargosh as it ambles across for a sniff. Khargosh is no rabbit, but a dog that is paralysed. Nearby, Naina, a three-year-old cow, stands in the shade; its other companions have left to graze. It cannot see. Its only companion is Jackie, a hen rescued nine months ago from a poultry retailer in Agra.
In the next two weeks, Khargosh, Naina, Jackie and a hundred other animals — from cows, dogs, goats to hens and monkeys — will be homeless as their home, Smart Sanctuary, will be shutting down owing to a lack of resources. cot bed
Its founder, Kaveri Rana Bhardwaj, said, “Despite (our) lease agreement, we have been asked to vacate the place”.
The only functional private shelter in the district, it is located on an area of six bighas in Imaliya village and is at a distance of 7 km from Greater Noida’s Omicron society.
According to Additional Chief Executive Officer, Greater Noida, Sreelakshmy V S, there are no other functional animal shelters in the area at present.
“We are planning to set up six animal shelters soon, three in Greater Noida East and three in Greater Noida West. We have started to look for places as well,” she said.
There is, however, one animal shelter in Noida’s Sector 94, housing around 1,600 animals. “Animals keep moving in and out of this sanctuary,” said Deputy General Manager, Noida, SP Singh.
Smart Sanctuary was first opened in 2017 in Greater Noida’s Ghodi Bachheda village by Bhardwaj. “We moved to Imaliya in 2023, it was the fourth time we shifted. We had taken the premises on a lease for three years but now, after a year, the landlord wants the place to be vacated,” she said, adding that she is unable to pay the “increasing” rent.
“Animals go through emotional turmoil in this process of being shifted,” she added. “They develop an attachment with the place they live in and bringing them back to normalcy is tough.”
Ramesh Patli, 23, a caretaker at the shelter who hails from Chhattisgarh, said: “The animals understand us and we understand them, even when they do not talk.”
Bhardwaj is also worried about the logistics. She said the monthly expenditure for the shelter reaches about Rs 8.30 lakh, of which more than a lakh is spent on rent. “I have my seven staff to pay, the food for cows and buffaloes has become expensive, the electricity bill has gone up, and there are no funds to finance all this,” she said.
Currently, the shelter houses 86 dogs — one of which is a pitbull breed — two monkeys, two hens, three rabbits, 60 cows, two goats, six cats, five birds — Indonesian sparrows and one Australian parrot — and 10 horses and donkeys.
These animals were rescued from butcher houses, poultry retailers, roads and neighbourhood streets. Around 43 dogs are paralysed, and 13 cows suffer from mastitis, an infectious disease that results in the production of poor-quality milk.
Apart from the Smart Sanctuary, 13 Indie dogs, three rabbits, and a monkey have been staying in two different rented premises in Omicron society.
Bhardwaj, meanwhile, said she is looking for every possible option to house the animals.
Can Congress and co find common ground?Subscriber Only
Red Citadel under siege, is the endgame in sight forSubscriber Only
Global trade, Trump and India's roleSubscriber Only
UPSC Key: Selection of the CEC, NATOSubscriber Only
India's Middle Class 2.0Subscriber Only
Brand CR7 leaps higher than footballer Cristiano RonaldoSubscriber Only
Can India replicate the Amul success story for food andSubscriber Only
The Yamuna myth: Delhi's lifeline isn't what you thinkSubscriber Only
Key shift in India-Afghanistan trade since Taliban takeoverSubscriber Only
Why gas could be route to raising India’s energy importsSubscriber Only
Zubin Mehta on leading the Symphony Orchestra of IndiaSubscriber Only
Yami Gautam, Pratik Gandhi Film Skims Tropes
Three writers remaking the face English-language short storySubscriber Only
HarperCollins CEO on e-books, audiobooks and AI writingSubscriber Only
Prajakta Koli’s Too Good to be True offers nothing freshSubscriber Only
Pankaj Tripathi on India’s Got Latent and Ranveer AllahbadiaSubscriber Only
Neetika Jha is a trainee reporter with The Indian Express, Delhi. She covers crime, health, environment as well as stories of human interest, in Noida and Ghaziabad. When not on the field she is probably working on another story idea. On weekends, she loves to read fiction over a cup of coffee (cold coffee if it is summer). The Thursday Murder club and Yellow face were her recent favourites. She loves her garden as much as she loves her job. She is an alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. ... Read More
Chandiwala, a Punjab village on the banks of the Sutlej river, has been plagued by floods, poverty, and lack of basic infrastructure. In desperation, many villagers have risked their lives and spent large sums of money to reach the US through the "dunki route". However, six villagers have been deported and one more unable to arrive due to illness.
This No Is Already Registered.
utility wagon cart Thanks For Registered Mobile No.