For the last year and a half, Braj Animal Care has been looking after a litter of puppies who live in a parking lot in front of the Shri Madanmohan Temple. When they were born, their mother, Safedi, had trouble producing enough milk, so we purchased special puppy formula to supplement their diet. For several months, a sadhu who lived nearby helped us administer the formula to the puppies several times a day. We also vaccinated them and checked in with them regularly. As a result of all these efforts, four out of five puppies survived.
The parking lot puppies with members of the team
Our team member, Gaurhari says, “Whenever the puppies see me, they come running and jump all over me. They are so happy knowing we are there to take care of them. To this day, we still feed them along with their mother. Safedi is a very fearful dog; she hides in the sewer most of the time, but comes out with tail wagging when she hears our voices. She had more puppies after this particular litter, but unfortunately, they were all killed by negligent drivers.”
The Pros and Cons of Traffic Control
Recently, the local government issued new guidelines regulating traffic in Vrindavan. While this is a welcome move, changes in the rules regarding e-rickshaws have caused some unintended consequences. E-rickshaw drivers are now required to obtain a permit, which allows them to operate in the boundaries of a specific zone of Vrindavan. However, our Braj Animal Care e-rickshaw moves all over the town feeding dogs, cows and other animals.
So far, the local government has said they are unable to issue us a permit for this, and asked us to approach the District Magistrate personally. While this process is ongoing, we have had to alter our times and routes in order to avoid fines. However, we are committed to ensuring the animals are fed no matter what, and confident things will be sorted out very soon.