Young Samaritans stand up for strays

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This year the sweltering sun is too much to handle, and not just humans but birds and animals are also facing the heat.

To help these creatures, a few youngsters in the city have taken various initiatives around their neighbourhood and doing their bit to bring some respite to them.
Abhishek Joshi, an IT professional at NIIT says, “I live in Noida where many stray dogs and cows roam around the roads. When thirsty, these animals look for water in drains and water puddles, which makes them sick. To help these strays, we have started keeping water in plastic tubs and buckets in front of our houses. We also keep a bowl of water for birds in our balconies, so that the pigeons and other birds don’t die of heat.”
During summers a lot of animals look for shelter and cooler areas around the colonies to escape the bright sun. Mohan Singh, a DU student, says, “Many students living in college hostels or as PGs in our area feed strays with leftovers and some even keep grains in the bowl for the birds. They also keep rugs and soak them in water so that the dogs can rest on them.”
Sadhwi Sondhi, a college student and founder of animal shelter Red Paws Rescue, says, “We keep water bowls outside our colonies for stray animals so that they don’t feel too hot. We even feed dogs with cold milk once in a day or give them ice candies to keep their stomach cool. In the afternoon, we throw water in the mud so it becomes wet and they can rest under shade without catching heat stroke.”
Like Sadhwi, Imran Kalim, a businessman, who resides in Chandani Chowk, also mentions that summer season in the capital is the worst time for livestock and domestic birds.
He says, “During summers we put large tubs of water in our animal farms so that the husbandry animals and birds don’t die of heat. It is more difficult for birds to cope up with the heat and so we feed them watermelon and sweet melons along with loads of water. It keeps them cool. It is a noble deed and makes us happy.”