About HAS


Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened (Anatole France, 1844-1924)

H umane Animal Society (HAS) was started in 2006 to address animal welfare in the city of Coimbatore, and to carry out the critical function of Animal Birth Control (ABC). HAS is a public non-profit organisation registered with Government of Tamil Nadu as a trust under certificate no. 998/2006 under section 12A (a) of the IT act 1961. Consequently, all financial contributions are tax-exempt under section 80(g).

HAS is a group of people who believe that the power of compassion, love and kindness will make a meaningful and positive difference to the lives of the animals around us. We strive to rescue, treat, rehabilitate, feed, and love the animals that need us the most.

The mission statement of HAS is to mitigate animal suffering through humane ABC, rescue, treatment and rehabilitation. To spread awareness about animal rights through education in schools. To empower humans by providing them with a platform to contribute to the cause in their own unique way. Our vision is of a compassionate society where exploitation and abuse of animals is a thing of the past, and a future where all animals can claim their place on this Earth.

Partnerships, memberships, awards and other recognitions

HAS has partnered with a number of organisations, some of whom are mentioned below, and we have also won the occasional award or acknowledgment for our work for the animals of Coimbatore and beyond.

Guidestar India transparency key

GuideStar India
GuideStar India is India’s largest and most reliable NGO information repository with a fully searchable database containing information about more than 10,000 Indian NGOs. More than 1,400 of these, including HAS, have undergone due diligence, forming India's largest pool of certified NGOs. An NGO that is certified by GuideStar demonstrates its commitment to being a transparent and accountable organisation.

HAS on GuideStar India

Animal Welfare Board of India
HAS was recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in 2008 with recognition number TN175/08. AWBI is a statutory advisory body for the Government of India's Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. AWBI oversees animal welfare organisations by granting recognition to them if they meet its guidelines. The organisation must submit paperwork, agree to nominate a representative for AWBI's executive committee, and submit to regular inspections. After meeting these requirements and an inspection, the organisation is considered for grant of recognition.

Animal Welfare Board of India
Animal Welfare Board of India Certificate of Recognition (pdf, 752 kB)

Humane Society International
HAS has been a partner of Humane Society International (HSI) since 2013. HSI works around the globe to promote the human-animal bond, rescue and protect dogs and cats, improve farm animal welfare, protect wildlife, promote animal-free testing and research, and to respond to natural disasters and confront cruelty to animals in all of its forms. HSI cooperates with policymakers on international treaties and free trade agreements to conduct briefings and to help draft legislation, regulations, policy statements and resolutions affecting animals. HSI supports the efforts of governments, industries and NGOs to promote the protection of animals through trade capacity building projects in developing countries and international campaigns to reduce suffering caused by exploitation of marine mammals, factory farming, the fur trade, trophy hunting, and animal fighting and cruelty.

Humane Society International

Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations
HAS has been a member of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) since 2010. FIAPO was registered under the Indian Trust Act 1882, and is a collective of animal protection organisations in India that help, represent, connect, and inform, animal protection organisations and activists across India. FIAPO also undertakes campaigns for purposes that are uncatered for, and carry out research on rights for animals. FIAPO promotes five basic freedoms, specifically for animals and generally for all living beings: 1) Freedom from hunger and thirst by providing access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour. 2) Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate shelter and resting area. 3) Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. 4) Freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind. 5) Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations

Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 award for Mini Vasudevan
Mini Vasudevan, founder and managing trustee of HAS, received the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 award as a passionate animal activist who, through her work with HAS, is responsible for having improved and saved the lives of countless animals through the undertaking of ABC and ARV programs, treatment, rehabilitation and rehoming of rescued animals, by holding frequent adoption camps, and by conducting humane education programs to educate children and adults about animal welfare and environmental sustainability with the purpose of sensitising them on being kind and compassionate to all species.

Nari Shakti Puraskar
Nari Shakti Puraskar on wikipedia
Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 recipients
Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 - Ministry of Women and Child Development - Mini Vasudevan (pdf, 374 kB)

Nondi, the HAS mascot

We would like to introduce to you our shelter mascot, Nondi, who is in the top-photo in a typical Nondi pose, and just below in more relaxed state. His is a story of adversities, hope, survival and winning against all odds. For many years, Nondi was the first face to greet anyone who came to the ABC and Rescue Centre.

Nondi was badly hurt when he was brought into the centre in 2008 with three broken limbs. He was in quite a hopeless state, and needed immediate treatment. Weeks of intensive care eventually helped this little fighter get back on his feet, although with a severe limp. This adorable gait became his signature, which shouted out his will to survive! During the period of treatment, he bonded very well with our staff and vets. But with even fully healthy dogs not getting adopted, we realized that the chances of him finding a home a was quite slim. That, combined with his comfort within the unit and with the staff, made him a permanent resident at the ABC and Rescue Centre.

Nondi was an extremely friendly dog, often doing inspection rounds in the centre. He was even known for bringing back a few dogs that ran away! Nondi was affectionate to other animals, and to random people who came in to get their pets treated. His inspection rounds would carry on till late at night, when he would also take on the duty of a guard. This boy was obedient too. He knew to keep his nose off the food until he was given his bowl and he knew that the operation theatre was off-limits for him, even when there was no one around.

We've had different people working with us for different periods of time, and everyone who met Nondi would testify that it was a pleasure having him around. His semi-toothless grin warmed the hearts of both staff and the others who visited the ABC and Rescue Centre.

Nondi symbolises what HAS as an organisation stands for: to be able to rise up against all adversities. When many thought there was little chance for him to get back on his paws, Nondi fought a difficult battle to recover and show everyone that nothing is too hard for a fighter; and that even with a big disability, a dog can have a happy, content life. To members of HAS, he has been and will always be a special boy and we all agree that there is no one better to be the HAS mascot than this tough little survivor!

In February 2015, Nondi's health started failing. He was running high temperatures, and when blood tests returned with reduced kidney and liver functions, we knew that the time had come... Like all great souls, he left this world in peace without much suffering, and we were all happy for that. His body was laid to rest in the evening of 24 February. He was believed to have been 15 years old when he died.

Animal birth control (ABC) and anti-rabies drives (ARV)

HAS has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, pursuant to which we undertake ABC programs to effectively control the stray dog population in the West Zone of the city. In addition, we systematically conduct anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) programs to make the city a safer place for humans and animals alike.

It is estimated that Coimbatore has 50,000 free roaming dogs who are struggling to exist on the streets. Without a comprehensive sterilisation program in place to slow down and eventually stop the indiscriminate breeding of these dogs, their numbers will continue to increase. This creates increased pressure upon the dogs in their day-to-day struggle to survive leading to increased fighting and diseases such as rabies.

ARV programs go hand-in-hand with the ABC programs in making India rabies-free. The data on prevalence of rabies among owned (pet) dogs in relation to the methods and procedures for stray dog control has been analysed in many studies. These studies show that, contrary to popular belief, the culling of healthy animals as a means of controlling rabies is unlikely to be unsuccessful. The studies prove beyond doubt that the occurrence of rabies in owned (pet) dogs steadily declines with adoption of ARV while the trend is irregular with culling. Therefore, ABC and ARV are the optimum procedures to control the stray dog population and reduce rabies infections. It is also the only humane method.

HAS's objective is to achieve a 70% sterilisation and rabies vaccination success rate within one breeding cycle. If this rate is accomplished, the results are immediate with a clear visual and measurable impact.

HAS conducts periodic ARV camps at different locations within Coimbatore where people can bring their pets to be vaccinated against rabies for free.

Method

One of the core missions of our organisation is to control the population of stray dogs in the city. We attempt to do this systematically as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) outlined in ABC Dog Rules 2001.

Our team of dog catchers go to a specified area, and each day capture 10-12 dogs. The dogs are humanely captured using butterfly nets, and are placed in our vehicle to be transported to our clinic. The same day, or at the latest the next day, each dog is sterilised and vaccinated against rabies. At the same time, we mark the dogs so that we know they have been sterilised. This is done by making a notch in the dog's ear. The dogs are then housed in our kennels until they have recovered sufficiently from their operation. This usually takes about three days. The dogs are then returned to where they were captured to be released. We keep comprehensive records to ensure that each dog goes back to the same place it was captured from. This ensures a stable population in the area.

At the ABC and Rescue Clinic in Seeranaickenpalayam we sterilise and vaccinate more than 100 dogs each month.

If there are street dogs in your locality that need to be sterilised, please give us a call and coordinate with us. A sterilised dog is easily identifiable by its notched ear, meaning the tip of its ear would have a small cut.

We also undertake sterilisations for stray and community cats.

Rescues

HAS is committed to rescuing and rehabilitating animals that are hurt or in distress. Our animal van goes to various sites to perform rescues, after which the animal is given the necessary medical check-up and treatment. Depending on the situation, we either release the animal back at the same location, or try to get it adopted post recovery.

Please note that rescues are NOT possible without public help and support. We are severely short staffed and financially constrained. Kindly understand our situation when you call for a rescue, and support us in order to help the animal in the best possible manner. This may include taking in the animal temporarily, tracking it till help arrives, bringing the animal to us rather than waiting for the van, donating a small amount for its treatment, and helping in the release/rehabilitation of the animal.

In the past we have rescued many dogs, cats, cows, horses, birds and squirrels. Call us at 9366127215 if you see any animal in distress.

All stories related to rescues can be found in the news section of the website under rescues.

The ABC and Rescue Centre

The ABC and Rescue Centre, set on 1.25 acres of land in Seeranaickenpalayam, is at the very heart of HAS, and as a busy hub for our team, it is a constant hive of activity. Reducing the numbers of unwanted litters in our wards (and throughout the city and country as a whole) is our single biggest priority, so when pets are brought for sterilisation, and our own, healthy residents, are able to undergo surgery, we take enormous pride in this, and know that we are actively reducing the levels of suffering endured by many dogs.

Of course, treatment of animals admitted after being involved in traffic accidents, and animals who have fallen sick, is another of our priorities, and we have taken a powerful oath to never let any animal suffer needlessly if we are in a position to humanely assist it.

The primary purpose of the veterinary hospital at the ABC and Rescue Centre is to care for the street animals of Coimbatore. However, HAS also provides outpatient service. For example, all animals that have been adopted from HAS are provided with life-long treatment, including obligatory sterilisation of animals that were adopted before they could reasonably be sterilised. Outpatient treatments are undertaken for 2 hours from 9:00 till 11:00 every day. We also undertake sterilisation of pet animals.

We currently have two permanent veterinary doctors, and two part-time consultant veterinary doctors.

The Sanctuary

Set in a 1.5 acres of land in Vazhukkupparai, the Sanctuary is a peaceful, calm environment for our permanent residents to live out their days, safely and happily. With a customized cattery, several spacious enclosures, a garden pond, a myriad of mango trees and plenty of shaded areas for our animals to rest in, it is the perfect place for our perfect (if a little motley!) selection of dogs and cats, not forgetting our feisty horse and laidback cow!

The ambulance
Adoption and fostering

There are millions of stray and homeless animals in India today. HAS does what is practically possible to control the number of stray and homeless animals in Coimbatore in a humane way, e.g. by adopting procedures such as ABC. But due to financial and infrastructural limitations, it is not possible for HAS to provide shelter for all the stray animals of Coimbatore. However, if each one of us were to adopt one stray/homeless animal, the numbers of those without shelter would become negligible. HAS volunteers trained in dog behaviour will guide the prospective adopters to make the correct choice, and advise the new adopters about dog care, diet, behaviour, vaccinations and grooming.

HAS advocates and promotes the adoption of animals rather than the buying and selling of animals. We conduct periodic adoption camps at central locations in the city, in which abandoned animals, rescue pups and kittens, and foster pups and kittens are put up for adoption. We also facilitate adoptions from the ABC and Rescue Centre in Seeranaickenpalayam and from the Sanctuary in Vazhukkuparai. Every year, we find happy homes and loving families for more than 300 pets. Our adoption and re-homing rates have been consistently high and we are very proud of our achievements on that front. Prospective adopters are interviewed by HAS counselors to ensure that the dog goes to a loving and responsible home. If found suitable, they are allowed to adopt the dog. The new adopters are then given vaccination certificates, leaflets on dog care and assurance that HAS is available for future assistance.

Outreach

Awareness is crucial. An unaware person is, at best, indifferent to animal suffering, at worst, actively contributing to animal suffering. Therefore, an essential part of HAS' duties is to conduct programs at various places in Coimbatore to raise awareness on animal welfare, animal rights, our duty as humans to protect animals, and what we can do to make Earth a better place for all species.

We conduct humane education programs in schools and colleges, but also to the general public, where we explain the principles of compassion and love towards animals. HAS also publishes and distributes regular newsletters to engage with the local population. We conduct at least 3-4 education and awareness camps every month.

Media

Like most animal welfare organisations, HAS has an elaborate news media and social media policy, because without such policies, it would be almost impossible to fulfil the objectives of the organisation, e.g. without media coverage of animal welfare issues in general and HAS in particular, it would be very difficult to attract volunteers, adopters, sponsors and donors. If you are a representative for a news media organisation, and you are covering animal welfare and related issues, you are welcome to contact us for more information. You may also download the HAS logo if needed for your story.

All news media related coverage of HAS from the inception in 2006 can be found in the news section of the website under HAS in the media.

Management team

Our experienced management team work on an entirely pro bono basis, enabling all gratefully received donations to be used for running the organisation, and ensuring that HAS can continue to function as the vital community service that it is today.

Dr. Mini Vasudevan

Founder and managing trustee

Mini Vasudevan is an engineer by profession who strongly believes that making a difference is as important as making a living. An ardent animal lover, she had a special connection to animals, right from a very young age. She was involved in animal welfare activities for several years, both in India and abroad, before co-founding HAS in 2006. She has been the managing trustee of the organisation since inception, and takes immense pride in the various activities HAS undertakes and in the difference the organisation has been able to make in the lives of countless animals.

Dr. Madhu Ganesh

Founder trustee

Madhu Ganesh is a mechanical engineer and professor by training and profession. As with many others, his interest in animals started with having pets, but, over time, evolved to encompass all animals, along with the natural world, when he learned about environmental and ecological issues, extinction of fauna and flora due to human intervention - intentional and unintentional. Madhu believes in doing what is possible within his reach, to help in the welfare of all animals, particularly those who are in need of assistance, and also engage in activities that will enable better interaction and association that will promote a symbiotic relationship of humans and other species.

S. Christopher Arvinth

Trustee

Christopher had always been fond of animals, whether they were house pets or animals on the street. He could never bear to see them suffer. His constant quest for opportunities to help animals in distress is what eventually led him to HAS in 2007, and he has been a trustee of the organisation since then. An entrepreneur at heart, Christoper strongly believes in giving back to society in whatever way possible. In addition to HAS, he is also involved in several community service initiatives through Rotary and Round Table. A business and finance graduate, he is the CEO and managing director of Stalwart Security Services India Ltd. which is a proud corporate sponsor of HAS.

Manav Mehta

Trustee

It all started in August 2007 when his friend gave Manav a mongrel. He named the dog Rocky. In early 2008 he heard about HAS, and attended the first volunteers meet at the shelter. Since then there has been no looking back. He got involved in the activities of HAS and became a Trustee of the organisation. He is passionate about social welfare involving the environment, humans and animals. His belief is when God has given me more than what I need, I should share it. He is in the distribution business for a living, but takes out time to participate in a lot of social activities. He is also passionate about reading and travelling, and has a love for art, crafts, antiques and classic cars.

Sylvia Chandel

Board member

Sylvia Chandel, one of our board members, has always rooted for the underdog. Born with a passionate sense of fairness, she bristles at the injustices animals suffer in all aspects of human life. She is a proud supporter of HAS, and throws her weight behind the team to make the world a better place for everyone, both animals and humans, as she believes in a win-win society with moral progression and kind interdependence. A corporate banker by profession, Sylvia is based in Dubai where she gets involved in local animal welfare, but doesn’t let geographical distance get in the way of her active engagement with HAS. Her dream is to take HAS to new heights for the well-being of the four-legged. And she is determined to do that.

Mona Kumar

Board member

Mona Kumar is part of the governing board of HAS, and has had a strong affection for animals for as long as she can remember. Over time, this love for animals led her to get involved sporadically in rescues, feed and care for strays, and she adopted more than a few. Becoming part of HAS gave her the opportunity to stay more committed and involved in animal welfare on a regular basis. Mona is into business research professionally, and is based out of Hyderabad. Her home town remains Coimbatore, so she visits regularly. Mona believes the joy animals bring to one’s life is unparalleled, and that we should tirelessly endeavour to help as many animals as we can, in any way we can, with the limited resources available to us.

Rushitha Samavedam

Board member

Rushitha's association with HAS started as an outstation volunteer, and soon enough she felt a strong bond with the animals and the team. With experience in corporate communications she brings her expertise in the fields of marketing, public relations, content and social media to HAS. Rushitha is both a cat and a dog person, a firm supporter of adopt dont shop, and believes that animal welfare is crucial for a sustainable future and in building a compassionate society. Based in Bangalore, Rushitha found her connection with Coimbatore through HAS, and remotely supports the team as an advisor to bring sustained visibility for the outreach and the causes the organization stands for.

Team HAS

Team HAS is the group of people who are working full-time for HAS. The team comprises veterinary doctors, a program manager, administrative associates, a communications coordinator, a humane education officer, a centre manager, patient welfare officers, veterinary assistants, animal handlers and sanctuary caregivers. Having worked hard to nurture a sense of camaraderie among the entire team, we endeavour to work cohesively and in the best interests of all animals, not only the ones at the ABC and Rescue Centre and at the Sanctuary, but also the animals on the streets of Coimbatore. Our team is passionate about their work and wholly dedicated to the cause, meaning that when a patient is admitted, they receive the very best treatment that we can possibly give, and for as long as they need us and the treatment we can provide.

Dr. Abhilash Sreedharan

Clinical director

Loving animals from an early age, meant that a career as a veterinary surgeon was inevitable, and the only way that he could find a true sense of purpose through his work. Thus, Dr Abhilash has followed his dreams and devoted his entire career to following veterinary pursuits. He completed post-graduate studies in veterinary surgery and radiology in October 2019 and has undergone several training courses and participated in multiple extracurricular educational classes to build a wealth of knowledge in his chosen field of interest. He also worked at various pet clinics in and around Chennai as a consultant surgeon and travelled overseas to work in a pet clinic in Mauritius. As the senior vet at our ABC and Rescue Centre, Dr Abhilash now applies his skills and passion to helping some of the most vulnerable animals and pets in his hometown. With compassion and welfare at the forefront of his mind, he is thorough but sensitive in his work, and since joining us in May 2020, he has helped us improve some of our clinical procedures and guided us through many difficult circumstances.

Dr. Shyam 

Resident veterinarian

Wanting to work in a service-oriented place, Dr. Shyam, joined HAS as a veterinary surgeon in August 2021. His work bears testimony to his compassion towards animals. He has a flair for understanding the animals’ needs. Pragmatic, reliable, and calm, he is always seen morally supporting the injured animal to keep up their will power, to be strong and get well, and rooting, at all times, for their speedy recovery.

Dr. Paramesh

Resident veterinarian

Joining our team in May of 2022, Dr. Paramesh had just completed his post-graduate studies in the pathology stream of veterinary medicine, in which his passion for helping animals had been truly ignited! Loving nothing more than being involved in clinical veterinary medicine and carrying out both routine, and complex, lifesaving surgeries, Dr. Paramesh was keen to exercise his skills and give something back to society by helping the voiceless, too. Knowing that a charitable organization like ours sees a great variety of injuries and conditions among rescued pets, he knew he would be able to expand his learning while working for us, and we could equally learn from his understanding of pathology. With his love of sports, too, we hope he'll have the fitness and energy levels to continue working with us for the foreseeable future!

Dr. Kaavya

Resident veterinarian

Dr. Kaavya's beloved pet Bunty was the catalyst for her deciding to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, as she wanted to be able to give him the very best medical care and treatment she could. Having completed her MVSc. (Surgery) in 2022, she worked as an assistant veterinarian in a private pet clinic in Chennai before joining our team in February 2023. Her desire to help sick and injured animals on the streets, coupled with her love for clinical medicine, is what led her to us, and we were more than happy to be found! The hectic and stressful environment of our ABC and Rescue Center is no match for Dr Kaavya's compassion and skill, but if it does all get too much, she simply settles down with a good book until her mind has become calm. There'll be no reading on the job for this doctor though; when she's at work, she's at work, and nothing can distract her from her duties!

Alphonse Xavier A.

Program manager

Alphonse Xavier has been with HAS as our program manager since April 2015. An enthusiastic and energetic person, he is well appreciated by one and all. He manages the accounts and meticulously supervises all activities of HAS on a day-to-day basis. In addition to supporting the HAS management in planning future activities, he also responds to the several enquiries that come our way every day. A computer science graduate, he has also completed an MBA degree.

Murugavel Palanisamy

Administrative Associate

Former teacher turned administrative associate, Murugavel, has been passionate about animals since he was a kid. Pandemic led him to follow his heart and thus began his pursuit to work closely with animals and joined team HAS in September 2021. Currently, working at our Humane Animal Hospital, his ardent love for animals makes him visit the Shelter at the start of every week just so that he can spend his time with his furry friends besides the responsibilities of his administrative role. Gardening, cooking, swimming, cycling, and reading are some of his hobbies. 

Blossom F.

Administrative assistant

Having adopted two adorable pooches from our shelter, Blossom seemed like the obvious choice to fill the position of administrative associate, and she has since lived up to our expectations in every way. With her calm nature and ability to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life, she helps man our busy phone lines, assists with adoption queries, and is always ready to help out with any task that needs attention.

Aishwarya Ramasamy

Legal counsel

Aishwarya is a lawyer with criminal specialization from NALSAR University of Law. As someone who profoundly loves animals and is passionate about the development sector, she joined HAS in August 2022; and, it couldn't have been a better match! She diligently handles all legal matters for HAS including drafting legal documents, filing criminal cases against animal offenders, facilitating police action, filing RTIs and coordinating with government authorities. Despite the many adversities one faces in this stream, she perseveres with an iron grip and never gives up. She says that she derives strength and inspiration from the memories of her first animal love, Luna. Hands joined with HAS, she dreams of making Coimbatore free of animal-cruelty by consistently combating ground-level as well as systemic issues.

Heena Acharya

Humane education officer

Heena Acharya joined our team as the humane education officer from April 2017. Her experience as a school teacher helped her fine-tune her skills, which comes in very useful when spreading awareness to the public, where her word reaches out to everyone effectively. She conducts humane educational programs at schools, where we reach out to kids and spread awareness, which is one of the most effective ways of bringing a positive change. She loves kids, and they love her back, creating an aura of fun. The sessions between Heena and the school kids are very interactive, where kids are at the edge of their seats, waiting eagerly to witness something new. She improvises as she goes along, and incorporates new aspects in every session, which makes the sessions interesting as well as entertaining.

Athira K. Sabu

Communication coordinator

Coming from a forest science background with experience in coaching forest rangers, Athira joined the HAS family as a communication coordinator in November 2021. An ardent love for animals propelled her to work closely with animals thus starting her journey with us. Extremely dedicated, calm, and compassionate, she is always up for lending a hand at caring for the animals besides handling the communication part of her job profile, which makes her an all-rounder at the shelter. She spends her free time on photography, reading, and dancing.

Abhinaya K.

Patient welfare coordinator

A long-term volunteer at HAS, Abhinaya is an art teacher by profession. Her passion for animals propelled her to take a part-time role at HAS in January 2022, and she has been quite a driving force ever since. She specialises on the emotional well-being of the rescue animals by socialising, and works with paralyzed dogs by giving them physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and taking them on walking wheels. Art and animals are the two major driving forces of her life. Her first pet Julie was, in fact, adopted from HAS, and she is also a parent of two lovely cats! Abhinaya is an expert rescuer and a community caretaker. She also immerses herself into art, especially painting, and works on commissioned artworks. According to her, being part of an animal's transformation is the most rewarding part of her work at HAS.

Ishwarya

Patient welfare coordinator

Previously having had a corporate job, it didn’t take Ishwarya long to realize that such a role simply wasn’t providing her with the inspiration she needed, and being an avid animal lover, she knew she needed to pursue her dream of working for a charitable organization like ours. After joining our team in 2020, Ishwarya was keen to expand her learning and discover more about other animal welfare organizations across the state. Learning a lot during her time away from us, including having completed a course in veterinary assistance and ABC management at WVS, we welcomed her back with open arms in December of 2022. Becoming our patient welfare coordinator, the knowledge she had gained made her perfectly suited for the role, and she settled right back in as if she had never been away! While animals are her first love, Ishwarya also has a passion for photography, drawing, travelling, reading and trying to solve the Rubik’s Cube – if challenges are her thing, she’s come to the right place!

D. Siva Kumar

Program coordinator

Siva Kumar works as the program coordinator of the ABC and Rescue Centre, and is a great asset to our organisation. He has been with us since 2008, and has been instrumental for many positive developments at HAS. He has excellent organizational capabilities and always takes great pride in his work. He coordinates the ABC schedules, rescues, and vaccination drives.

R. Balakrishnan

Veterinary assistant

Balakrishnan has been with us since 2011. He is one of our veterinary assistants, who also doubles up as an ambulance driver when required. He has helped in getting many adult dogs adopted, and today all the canines he found homes for are happy with their families. He periodically visits these homes and personally ensures the welfare of the dogs he has re-homed. He has assisted in many important surgeries, and is known to make even highly hostile dogs friendly. He has also been a part of many rescue operations, and is familiar with every nook and corner of the city.

S. Siva Kumar

Veterinary assistant

Siva Kumar comes with several years of experience as a veterinary assistant. He has been with us since 2008, and hardly misses a day of work. He is available round the clock, and has even attended rescue calls at midnight. He has a good knowledge about treatments through practice and years of experience. He has a special way of caring for orphaned and abandoned animals, and uses this experience to teach basics to foster parents and those taking up veterinary assistant courses at HAS.

Jeeva Pandian

Animal handler

With a lifelong passion for animals, Jeeva ditched a more lucrative alternate career to join us as an animal handler at our busy ABC and Rescue Centre. Hard working and diligent, he devotes his days to helping care for our patients and attending rescues when required. With his calm persona and patience, he enjoys working with troubled dogs and gets immense satisfaction when he has helped them overcome their fears.

John Peter

Animal handler

John’s love for animals is so intense that their suffering was one of the main reasons that kept him up at night, which led him to renounce his job as a transport manager and join HAS in January 2021. Having discovered the importance of living in the moment and the value of giving without any expectations motivates him. His driving force to work in rescue is the fact that animals have the power to make us happy and healthy, and the ultimate goal for any human is to lead a happy and healthy life. Apart from spending time with the animals in the shelter and taking care of them, John likes to travel, hike, some racing, and gardening.

Deepika

Animal handler

An engineer by profession, Deepika’s love for animals and her deep desire to work for the betterment of sick and injured animals on the streets, made her turn her back on the corporate world. Joining our organization in August of 2022, her readiness to work tirelessly for the care and comfort of our rescued pets, is what we love about her, and what our animals love even more! Working closely with our sick and injured patients, she never hesitates to put their needs first, and will happily skip a lunch break to be there for a newly admitted animal, or any pet that simply needs some extra care and attention. Compassionate and hardworking, her patience and diligence are just what is needed in our line of work, and when she isn’t devoting her time to our patients, she’s reading up on animal diet related topics – for some, it’s difficult to separate work activities from leisure, and that’s alright with us!

V. Vincent

Animal handler

Vincent has been with us since 2007 and is one of our longest serving staff. Always the first one to arrive and start work, he has done several rescues under difficult circumstances. He ensures that each rescue activity is a well-planned, and that everything goes according to his plan. We proudly refer to him as our rescue specialist, and he always has interesting stories to narrate about his myriad of experiences. He also plays an active role in our ABC operations, vaccination drives and adoption events.

Viswa

Animal handler

With an undergraduate degree in geography, Viswa began working in the corporate sector, but it wasn’t long before he began to feel uninspired and unfulfilled by the work he was being paid to do. This led him to explore the possibility not just of working with animals, but working for a social cause, and when an opportunity to join our team arose in September 2022, he seized it with both hands and wasted no time saying goodbye to his corporate career! As an animal handler at our busy ABC and Rescue Centre, Viswa displays his dedication and hard work by meticulously caring for our patients and extending a helping hand to his colleagues whenever needed. Calm and with a patient approach, he’s able to work effectively with some of our most troubled patients who have undergone great trauma, and he finds this part of his role, immensely fulfilling. Apart from his love for animals, Viswa also loves to play Badminton and Carrom in his leisure time, but his mind is never far from the animals he loves and cares for so deeply. With his enthusiasm for learning and intense compassion for all animals in need, we are truly a better organisation with Viswa as a team member.

R. Vasantha Mani

Caretaker at the ABC and Rescue Centre

Vasantha Mani joined our team in February 2018, and has already made herself an important addition to the team. Punctual, hardworking and always cheerful, her attitude towards the tough work that is involved with running a shelter sets a great example to others. With meticulous standards of cleanliness and hygiene, Vasantha Mani can be relied upon to ensure that all areas of the ABC and Rescue Centre are spotless, and along with her co-workers, she scrubs, washes, polishes and sweeps until all her tasks are complete. In addition to keeping things clean, she also tends to the needs of our youngest and most vulnerable residents. She makes sure that they have clean cages, nutritious food and fresh water, and reports back to the veterinarians if she spots that an animal may be sick and in need of treatment. In fact, there isn’t much that Vasantha Mani does not do!

V. Perumal

Sanctuary caretaker

Perumal is our sanctuary caretaker and has seamlessly integrated with our team ever since starting work with us in May 2018. Taking the responsibility of his role very seriously, Perumal’s entire day centres around the needs of the 3 and 4-legged residents at the Sanctuary, and every animal is meticulously cared for. Aside from feeding and interacting with the animals, he also keeps the Sanctuary grounds clean and tidy, and can often be seen weeding and digging. In his spare time, Perumal enjoys helping to socialise new residents and leash train them too, helping to prepare them for the prospect of adoption. The animals who may never get adopted, and will remain in our care for the rest of their life, are guaranteed to be safe and loved while under Perumal’s watchful eye.

P. Saraswathi

Sanctuary caretaker

Saraswathi began working for HAS in May 2018 and is Perumal’s better-half. Helping Perumal with the daily activities at the Sanctuary, Saraswathi never rests on her laurels, and is always busy. Helping to prepare the meals for the animals, watering the trees, gardening and checking on the welfare of the animals, are just a few of her daily tasks. Along with Perumal, they make a dynamic, compassionate and hard-working duo.

P. Sundar Vadivel

Sanctuary caretaker

Son of our Sanctuary caretakers Perumal and Saraswathi, Sundar’s love towards animals was sowed in his heart when he had his first pet dog as a kid. Fresh out of college, he joined Team HAS, in January 2021, and since then, has joined his parents in taking care and spreading love to the rescue animals at the Sanctuary. The consideration of animals’ feelings, freedom, and health at HAS is what motivates him everyday. He truly believes animals should be given the freedom they are entitled to, and hopes to work above and beyond the call of duty, towards this cause. He adores the time he gets to spend with his furry friends staying full-time at the sanctuary, and enjoys playing cricket and volleyball in his leisure time.

Annual and financial reports

When HAS started operations in 2006, we struggled to raise enough money to carry out the various activities necessary to effectively alleviate animal suffering in the part of Coimbatore we are responsible for. The lack of funds seems to be perennial as we, to this day, are living under severe economic restrictions that negatively impact the scope and scale of our activities.

HAS relies on donations from generous individuals and funding by Coimbatore Corporation (the local municipality). Coimbatore Corporation funding is in itself insufficient to even cover the cost of the programs that HAS has been trusted by Coimbatore Corporation to carry out. For instance, funding for ABC programs is limited to INR 445 per dog. However, the actual cost for performing an ABC surgery, providing adequate post-operative care for an ABC surgery patient, and administering a rabies vaccination before the patient is released, is approximately INR 1200.

The consequence of a deficit of INR 755 for each dog that is sterilised is that the ABC and ARV programs are not as efficient as they could be. It is clear that in order to lower the number of street animals, and to lower the incidences of rabies, funding has to be sufficient. The only time we were able to successfully perform a mass ARV drive was in 2013 where we raised money through 4 rotaries to vaccinate 4000 dogs in the city. The program was so effective that there was not a single incidence of rabies in dogs for almost 3 years. If we were able to do this annually, it would not only prevent rabies among street dogs, it would also create wide-spread awareness among the public about the disease, and it would encourage prompt vaccination of the pet animals that owners keep unvaccinated only because of a lack of awareness.

In addition to the underfunding of our core duties of ABC and AVR, the increasing number of accidents on the streets, as well as senseless and rampant abandonment of pets, has meant that our rescue efforts and expenses have sky-rocketed. Unfortunately, law enforcement against animal abuse and cruelty is extremely poor, and these offenses are rarely punished. This poses an ever-increasing burden on rescue organisations like HAS who provide assistance to the injured and abandoned animals until they have been rehabilitated appropriately. The HAS Sanctuary is home to more than 50 permanent animals whose sponsorship is vital for their continued care and welfare. The maintenance cost for each animal is approximately INR 3000 per month.

Sources of income for HAS can be categorised as follows:

1) Partial (38%) reimbursement by Coimbatore Corporation for spaying/neutering of stray dogs.

2) Donations by trustees and board bembers: approximately 30% of total expenditure.

3) Donations by individuals and corporates: approximately 55% of total expenditure.

4) Excess of expenditure over income (a yearly shortfall of 15%) is met by founder trustees that is accounted as loans to HAS. This has reached unsustainable proportions and is becoming increasingly difficult to meet.

Running HAS costs approximately INR 7 Lakh (USD 10,000) per month split between the expenses listed in the table below.

Table 1. Major expenses (monthly) in detail

Purpose Amount (INR) Amount (USD)
Maintenance 80,000 1,000
Vehicle and fuel 160,000 2,000
Animal food expenses* 240,000 3,000
Medicine** 320,000 4,000
Animal care*** 400,000 5,000
Total 1,200,000 15,000

* The daily expense for food for all the animals in our care is INR 5000 (USD 80).
** The daily expense for medicine is INR 8000 (USD 100).
*** The monthly expense per animal in our care is: cat INR 2000 (USD 25), dog INR 4000 (USD 50), cow/pony INR 5000 (USD 80).

For more detailed information about HAS, please go through the annual and financial report that are linked below.

Annual reports

Annual report 2013-14 (pdf, 335 kB)
Annual report 2014-15 (pdf, 595 kB)
Annual report 2015-16 (pdf, 372 kB)
Annual report 2016-17 (pdf, 452 kB)
Annual report 2017-18 (pdf, 540 kB)
Annual report 2018-19 (pdf, 455 kB)
Annual report 2019-20 (pending)
Annual report 2020-21 (pdf, 142 kB)

Financial reports

Financial report 2013-14 (pdf, 3.82 MB)
Financial report 2014-15 (pdf, 4.68 MB)
Financial report 2015-16 (pdf, 1.56 MB)
Financial report 2016-17 (pdf, 1.99 MB)
Financial report 2017-18 (pdf, 2.14 MB)
Financial report 2018-19 (pdf, 2.50 MB)
Financial report 2019-20 (pdf, 4.07 MB)
Financial report 2020-21 (pdf, 3.39 MB)