Kochi: “With hotels and homes shut due to Covid-19, there is virtually no food for the street dogs in the city,” says Ashwini Prem of Oneness Foundation, that works for animal, plant and human welfare. “If these are times of distress for us, it is equally distressing for the community animals that depends on us for their food.”
Kochi has around 7000-10,000 street dogs and, once the lockdown was announced and the city came to a standstill, they are at a loss for food.
“Community kitchens have been set up for people who are unable to access food but what about animals?” says Ashwini. Oneness called for volunteers who would reach out to the animals but found that the police would not allow them to move around. “In case permission is granted — and we are very hopeful as different districts and states have exempted travel for such acts — food will be distributed at a fixed time and place,” says Ashwini.
So far, the organistaion has 20 volunteers but the number is not enough, she says. They have created a chart marking a volunteer for an area to drop off food for the animals.
Dhyan Foundation, based in West Kochi, has also swung into action. The organisation, which runs animal shelters, has been feeding community animals through a unique Roti Bank that was begun earlier to feed animals in the shelter.
“We have asked people to contribute more rotis as we need to feed the animals on the streets who cannot fend for themselves,” says Dr Prasan Prabhakar, founder. They generally drop off food at certain key points where the dogs generally hang out.
Oneness Foundation: 9947261072
Dhyan Foundation: 81291 79324
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