Leaving a legacy of love for four-legged friends
Last week, we bid farewell to Suranganie De Silva, nursery teacher at Visakha Vidyalaya and Belvoir College International, Home Secretary for Sneha Children’s Home, and Committee Member of Mallika Nivasa Samithiya. She was a proud mother and doting grandmother, dearly loved by those who had the honour of meeting her.
For us, though, Suranganie was most renowned for her decade-long service as Vice President of the Animals’ Welfare & Protection Association (AWPA). She loved animals from a very young age, and was an active AWPA Committee Member for over 25 years. She particularly excelled at handling the dana programme and arranging supplies for the shelter dogs and cats. Suranganie’s name is synonymous with ‘doggie danas’, and she worked diligently to both get funds for feeding shelter dogs, and to honour the pets who have passed on, gently reminding donors when their dana was due.
Suranganie visited the two shelters in Dehiwela and Kahathuduwa weekly on her supply run in a rickety old van, taking with her Marie biscuits to distribute to the doggies as a treat. She had a special bond with the shelter dogs and cats, and spent a considerable part of the day showering them with attention, cuddles, kind words and treats. She played a vital role in running the feeding operation at the shelter, to feed the 450 dogs and cats in our two shelters, supporting sterilization programmes, managing administration and providing much needed encouragement and kind words to other animal welfare workers, including other committee members. She was always ready to take on a challenge, and often referred to her greatest achievement as the Pet Expo at BMICH, where she was able to rehome 11 pups in a single day!
Suranganie sadly battled a terrible illness in the last few years of her life. She bounced back once, a couple of years ago, and returned to fulfil all her duties at the shelter with the same ferocious commitment and dedication as before. Alas, her time came far too soon, and the illness took over when we least expected it. We really thought she had more time with us, to better train the next generation and spend more time in the place she loved, the animal shelter.
As a committee, we will pull together and continue the wonderful work she did. But no one can ever replace the quiet, smiling and encouraging presence that was Suranganie.