Animals battle for their lives amid monsoon mayhem

NEWDELHI: With Kerala facing its worst floods, an animal charity body said on Friday its rescuers were battling treacherous conditions to rescue and rehabilitate stranded animals.

Hyderabad-based Humane Society International, India said many animals have perished in the disaster and they were working with the Kerala government and t he National Disaster Response Force and district authorities to locate and rescue dogs, cats and other animals left behind during evacuations.

Sally Varma, HSI India’s education and awareness officer, reported that vast numbers of animals have drowned and its team is also finding animals trapped in the remains of dwellings swept away by the water.

“We are bracing ourselves for when the floods finally subside and we can finally access some of the areas currently totally cut off, where we may find more animals we’re desperately hoping to reach,” Varma said.

A team of six HSI India experts have been operating in Nilambur and Tirur, Kerala’s worst-affected regions, for the past four days. HSI India’s team is also providing vital medicines, shelter and food for ill, injured animals.

“...we were recently able to rescue 13 dogs and a tiny kitten who we found trembling as the floods raged around him,” Varma added. One woman in Thrissur refused to leave her home without help to rescue her 25 dogs, so HSI India’s team arranged for their shelter at a nearby veterinary hospital so that they and the woman would be safe, HSI India said in a statement.