Today we feature a number of Animal Welfare Activists who are tireless in their efforts to ensure that the animals in their areas are fed. Their efforts and enthusiasm are boundless. Their pockets and hearts are LARGE. Their message – FEED EVEN ONE ANIMAL OUTSIDE YOUR GATE, DOWN YOUR LANE OR ROAD. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY!

Not featured here are many other Animal Welfare Activists, Visakha and her 81-year-old mother Ranjini who really is a role model for us all and goes out feeding, herself, in a tuk-tuk, Mnoja, Kumudini, Duniyasha, Tashy, Sharmini, Ira, Mahesh,  Swarna and many others who are too busy with their animal welfare activities to even take time off to pen a few lines on what they do. They are to be emulated.

There are also over 250 animals who have been dumped by various bodies at the Meethotamulla garbage dump who are in a pitiful condition and need food and medication badly. In addition to the street feeding, we also need approximately 30 kg rice and 30 kg chicken pet food to feed these animals in Meethotamulla.

PLEASE DO DONATE TODAY – THEY NEED YOUR HELP

Daya, Anuruddha, and Jeyakumarl are part of the Rescue Animals Sri Lanka Team operating in the Horana area. They cook 12 kg rice and 10 kg chicken pet food and feed street animals in the Vidiyagoda and Horana area thrice a week. In addition, they look after 68 dogs and 35 cats who are on their premises.  If we think the plight of the Colombo dogs is bad, out of Colombo the situation is horrific. The cruelty displayed to animals is unimaginable. The other day a dog who was being treated for his wounds and other skin ailments and had amongst other issues – 2000 maggots removed from him, but was after 5 days of treatment well on his way to recovery,  WAS KILLED BECAUSE PEOPLE IN THE AREA FOUND HIM ‘APPIRIYA’. 

Our message -  OUR COMMUNITY ANIMALS ARE A PART OF US AND OUR LIFESTYLE. LOVE THEM, FEED THEM, LOOK AFTER THEM. HUMANS HAVE A VOICE. THEY DONT.  Sakuntala, Nimal, Nathan, and Senthil are part of the Rescue Animals Sri Lanka Team. They cook 42 kg rice and 45 kg chicken pet food and feed daily from Thalahena to Galle Face as well as along all side roads. They are always short of food no matter how much is cooked and taken.

CHRISHANTHI AND HECTOR RONDON FUENTES

Our gardener John feeds 30 to 40 dogs every day. Please join him to feed a street cat or dog near your home during the pandemic. When you feed a hungry animal, you will feed your own soul! Hundreds of stray cats and dogs in Sri Lanka depend on daily markets, restaurants, and local good samaritans who feed strays. But with coronavirus sending people into isolation and public establishments shutting down, strays have a difficult time finding food. Please feed as many strays as possible near your homes to help the animals survive. Feed a stray dog or cat and have blessings showered upon you.

NADEEKA DHARMARATNE

I own 8 stray dogs and 13 stray cats and they are part of my family. I look after 60 stray dogs and cats on the road in and around the Ratmalana area and have been feeding them daily for over 15 yrs. I also rescue and treat injured/sick animals. Feeding hungry animals is my passion.

JONATHAN SOLOMON

Feeding, treating, and sterilizing   Stray dogs and cats, caring for them at home till I  find compassionate homes for them is my passion. I feed in Colombo 15 and surrounding areas.

SWARNA

I first met or rather was told about Swarna by a 3 wheel driver almost 20 years ago who saw me feeding and told me about her. He told me about this woman who goes on foot to all the little roadside eating houses asking for leftover food for the animals. She even scavenges for food for the animals.

She goes on foot, by 3 wheel spending her own money, feeding as many dogs as she can. She suffers from rheumatism, arthritis, spondylosis, etc but will never take a day off as the animals have to be fed. Her family despair of her and in fact when the curfew was declared refused to have anything to do with her unless she stopped feeding, but that did not deter Swarna.

RAMITHA PREMARATNE

The dogs and puppies whom I have been caring for are all wandering between the Old Galle Road, Panadura old bridge to Panadura beach and at the Panadura market. I usually feed around 80 doggies a day including many cats. Many are mothers with young puppies who are all suffering from starvation, dehydration and there are many who are disabled and wounded as well. With the current lockdown situation, rescuing is three times harder and these poor souls have nowhere to go or no one to take care of them. If there is anyone who could provide some shelter at-least for the younger pups that would be so great. Please, if you are ready to foster, step forward!

PAMELA LOWE

I feed in the area around Kotte Junction, Sapumal Pedesa, Madinnagoda, and the temple.There are so many starving animals who do not have the ability to beg or ask for food and water.  My appeal to everybody is to feed, even if it's just one stray dog or cat outside your gate. The love and affection and gratitude you will get back in return is boundless.

IROMI SALGADO

I am not a regular feeder.  I have been greatly inspired by this group who came forward to feed community animals during this lockdown.  Animals cannot express their hunger.  Many animals moved out of their localities in search of food.  We receive so many sad stories of them either dying of starvation or getting knocked down on our empty roads. Puppies and adult animals are found abandoned on the roadside daily.  Where is the love, kindness and compassion we are supposed to show all beings?   We want people to come forward wherever they live, to feed a few community animals and keep a bowl of water.  We would also have liked a few more vets to have been on call and thank all those who were available.

NIL WELIVITAGE

It's not their fault that they are on the street.  If there is anything you can be in this world, BE KIND to the voiceless and helpless. 

SHILPA SAMARATUNGA

Area: Panadura town, market, and Horana road (up to Alubomulla).

Numbers: I feed about 30-40 street animals (both cats and dogs) and about 30 homeless people as well.

 many of the animals do relatively well during times when there is no curfew. This is why we thought we would step in to help during this time. In addition to the fact that no animal or person should go hungry, starving and sick animals are also a serious public health concern - so keeping our street populations healthy benefits us all.   When we fed the animals the first day - we had several homeless people ask us for dog food so at the beginning of the curfew we started with supporting two such homeless people with one warm meal a day. Now we are offering this to 30 people. They too have no shops to buy cooked from, and no kitchens to cook food in.

EMERALD AND KISHORE REDDY

During hard times we can manage with less but animals have nothing. Not even a voice to say they are hungry. Most times what they get is boiling water poured over them. Go out and  feed – PLEASE

BRIAN KERKOVEN

 At times like what we are experiencing right now, animals are thrown out on the street, because people listen to all the false information given to them. Experts assure us, that pets cannot pass on the virus to human beings. I wish, people would look after the street animals or help by donations to those who are already doing this.

TANIA EKANAYAKE

I started my passion for street doggies and cats over 25 years ago.  I presently cover a small area in Wellawatte feeding 20 plus doggies and 25 cats. It has brought me so much joy to help the voiceless during this journey I have had many ups and downs and much sadness witnessing the cruelty that humans inflict on them.

SAHANA RAVISHANKAR (ATTORNEY-AT-LAW)

I am trying my best to improve the lives of the strays that I find on the road. I have been involved in the service of helping animals as a child and my rescue work not only comprises of rescuing/treating sick or injured animals/rehoming/ sterilizing but also in carrying out feeding rounds for stray cats and dogs near Colombo 10 and mostly in Peliyagoda. I feed around 80-90 in Total. I have been continuing to do my bit as an individual for the strays that are far from my home so please do your bit by at-least feeding a few strays close to your home!!! They get hungry too !!!

If anyone would like to contribute towards the feeding of these animals or have any questions please contact Anusha David at [email protected]. 

Text By Anusha David