By: CC Bureau
Inputs by: Divya Parthasarathy, Founder, Tails of Compassion
This is the story of two dynamic young women who met by chance and connected on account of their immeasurable love for animals with the sole mission of rescuing them.
Loads of animals in this world are treated cruelly by humans. They are abused, tortured, abandoned or used for entertainment. On numerous occasions, man has forgotten that these voiceless creatures are also living beings and have an equal right to life just like you and me. Luckily, there are individuals like Divya Parthasarathy and Karuna Yadav, who founded the Tails of Compassion organization to help animals in need.
Divya started to rescue animals at a very young age. She always wanted to start a shelter for homeless dogs, but something or the other kept postponing it, until one day, a disturbing incident involving a stray left her troubled. While taking care of a rescue case at a veterinary hospital, she came across a dog who had just been brought in infested with maggots. Maggot wounds had damaged almost half of his face. The vet said that
nothing could be done to help the dog and that he needed to be put to sleep. But one look at his face told her that he was a fighter and wanted to live. This made her question the doctor’s decision to terminate the poor being’s life and she decided to help him. Going against the vet, she used her sources and got the dog out of there. This was a turning point in her life that propelled her to finally open Tails of Compassion to help the voiceless.
Karuna practically treasured animals since childhood. For her, every life is valuable. Although she hails from a non-vegetarian family, her love for animals compelled her to turn vegetarian at a young age. Pets at her home weren’t treated as animals but as family. One day, while returning from work, she found an injured puppy bitten by bigger dogs which resulted in a critical spinal injury that left her paralyzed for life. Many veterinarians advised her to get the pup euthanized, but she refused to give in. She single-handedly cared for her fur buddy for nine months, whom she now called Chinky and the two developed a deep bond. Owing to certain unavoidable circumstances, Karuna was forced to drop off Chinky at the Tails of Compassion shelter. But when she returned to see her after a few months, she couldn’t contain her happiness. Her beloved Chinky ran to greet her wearing a set of wheels.
This led to a chance meeting with Divya and the two instantly became friends. Both women were ardent animal lovers and their shared passion for saving animals resulted in a partnership to run ToC.
Tails of Compassion (ToC) was founded on 18 August 2017 to provide shelter to animals, particularly senior and special-needs dogs. The primary objective of the organization is to provide a home for those dogs who are incapable of surviving on the streets on their own such as aged and paralyzed dogs. These dogs have known harsh times and they bring tremendous joy to the ToC family.
In addition to caring for them and attending to their basic needs such as providing food, water and shelter, they also need constant medical supervision. The injured animals are given medical aid and kept in the recovery area. The organization also carries out the task of sterilizing dogs and provides post-op care to them. They encourage individuals to adopt dogs, particularly Indie or desi dogs.
During the last couple of years, ToC has been involved in rescuing special case dogs, such as those inflicted with spinal injuries, fractures and paralysis and provided both medical and psychological care to them along with therapy. Wheel carts have also been arranged for special needs dogs. Various dogs suffering from Parvo and Distemper, a deadly infectious disease in dogs have been treated. ToC also takes pride in rescuing dogs subjected to cruelty and has liberated many who were in chains. They also conduct meetings with other organizations to educate people and encourage interaction with dogs.
When animals first arrive at ToC, they are examined by a vet and provided first aid as per their requirements. Regular vet visits and continuous care are critical to monitor the health of animals and ensure they are in good shape.
According to Divya, it is essential to raise awareness and instill compassion for animals among people. As a grassroots organization, they rely on community engagement and support for animal care, rescue and feeding.
Passion, perseverance and dedication are a few traits that go with the territory. With a fantastic close-knit team comprising of four members and three caregivers on the ground, ToC has rescued over 200 animals including, dogs, cats, goats and birds. The organization is home to 50 senior and special-needs dogs, two goats and a chick.
