Pradeep Nair, 37, from the southern Telangana state had no idea his childhood love for animals would turn into full-time animal welfare.
"I love animals and nature. I feel responsible to take care of the animals around me and ensure the protection of nature," he told Anadolu Agency on Animal Protection Day, an international day of action for animal rights and welfare.
"In my childhood, whenever I saw any animal in pain, I did something at my level to save it," he said. "Once I wanted to buy a parakeet as a pet but my mom explained how the parakeet will be crying for freedom in a cage. That made me understand the welfare of animals."
Nair was a full-time software engineer when he started as a rescue volunteer. Since 2006, he claims to have saved and rescued 70,000 animals in Hyderabad.
"I have now switched to freelancing so I can work for animal welfare. I’m into their wellbeing full-time and am running my NGO," he said, referring to the Animal Warriors Conservation Society, which was established in 2019.
The NGO, he said, saves animals from critical situations where they are stuck and trapped.
"Our rescues involve extreme physical efforts ... the team’s size is growing," he said, explaining that the non-profit mostly consists of volunteers.
According to Nair, animals often fall into pits or open manholes, while birds get trapped in kite strings. "Wildlife and other animals are also abused in the name of the pet trade," he said. "So we always aim to save those."
Why the abuse?
Nair maintains that animal abuse is due to a lack of awareness and insensitivity.
"Education is the best solution for all social problems ... animal welfare and nature conservation should be introduced in schools. The future generation should be taught how to secure and respect every life and resource on the planet," he said. "This way we can see a better hope for the planet to sustain human life to thrive among other species."
Saying that the government has a role to play in this regard, Nair said India needs to strengthen bodies that monitor animal welfare.
The Animal Welfare Board of India is responsible for promoting animal welfare and protecting animals from cruelty. It was formed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960. Other animal protection laws are defined in the Indian Penal Code and The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
Monetary fines imposed for animal abuse are in the range of 10 ($0.13) and 100 ($1.35) Indian rupees, and/or imprisonment from three months to up to two years.
For wildlife, fines extend up to 25,000 Indian rupees ($336), while one can be sentenced from six months to up to seven years in jail.
It is said that the penalties are not acting as a deterrent, and there is a need for legislation with stringent provisions.
Disaster management strategies
Nair said that due to climate change, the intensity of natural disasters is increasing by the day, and there is a need to have strong disaster management strategies for animals.
"As human life is a priority there is no specific disaster management involved in saving animals who equally (or more) suffer from natural calamities," he said. "A nation with so many animals that thrive around human habitats needs urgent measures to protect animals from natural disasters."
