Ashwath received a pre-dawn call about a dog in distress. The canine had been run over by a van and looked like it would not make it. Strangely enough, someone called Ashwath, just a Class X student then, seeking his help in saving the dog. There was one explanation though: Ashwath says residents of the neighbourhood had seen him feeding stray dogs and applying ointment if they were bleeding. This probably prompted that person to make that call. “It was 3 a.m. and this was the first time I received such a call. I went there to see the dog and made arrangements to have it shifted to a veterinary hospital. Unfortunately, the dog died on the way to the vet,” says Ashwath, a resident of Trustpakkam, Mandaveli. Now an engineering student at Meenakshi Sundaram College, Kodambakkam, Ashwath says that experience encouraged him to become an animal rescuer and a wildlife volunteer. He gets calls from many parts of Chennai and with the help of Cloud No 9 Kennel and Nursing Care, run by his friend Dinesh Baba, he treats the rescued animals. “The treatment costs much but the hospitals asks me pay in instalments as they know that I am a volunteer and a student. There are many patrons who make a contribution towards the treatment of such animals; my parents don’t hesitate to make a contribution from time to time.” On Facebook, Ashwath posts requests for monetary contributions for treatment of rescued animals, furnishing details about an animal and the treatment it requires. Over a span of eight years, this 21-year-old has rescued over 500 dogs and cats and also over a dozen monkeys (kept by beggars) and rehabilitated them all by himself. “I rehabilitate animals at my house with expert advice from veterinarians; thanks to my parents, these animals are well cared-for.” Once they recover, the animals are returned to the locality where they were rescued from. In the case of an abandoned or abused animal, Ashawth finds a new home for them using social media platforms. At present, nine cats and two dogs are undergoing rehabilitation at his house. “In case of the monkeys I hand them over to Forest Department officials who have been supporting me in my activities.” The entire neighbourhood of Trustpakkam has seen this young man grow from a small animal feeder to a responsible animal rescuer. His long-term ambition is to start a not-for-profit organisation for rescue and rehabilitation of abandoned and sick animals.

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