Ranchi bravehearts erect new shelter homes for Indies

Ranchi: As monsoon clouds swell over Ranchi, a group of men are busy erecting new shelter homes for Indie dogs to take refuge from the rains.A record number of animal activists in Ranchi has come forward to help strays find shelters as lack of animal shelters poses safety and hygiene challenges for stray animals. "Most shelter homes are vandalised by locals or uprooted by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation. I am working on setting up six-seven new shelter homes for stray dogs in Dhurwa, Morabadi, Kanke, Ashok Nagar and other areas," said animal rescuer and activist Abhijeet Bhowmick, adding: ”None of the shelters constructed previously are habitable anymore.”While landlords and local residents are unwilling to provide shelters to rescued strays, traffic police of the city have also stepped in as good samaritans to help animal activists set up shelter homes.Traffic cop at Hot Lips Chowk, Uday Prakash Singh is helping a father-daughter animal activist duo, Sanjit Sen and Archie Sen with a dog shelter across Audrey house in Ranchi."It is a good deed and everyone should actually contribute to the welfare of stray dogs and other animals," Singh smiled, while pointing out to the shelter.The Sens have so far set up five shelter homes for stray dogs this year ahead of monsoons. Assistant municipal commissioner Kunwar Singh Pahan admitted there are no such shelter homes in Ranchi to help strays in monsoons.On being asked if the municipal authority plans on setting up any shelter homes, Pahan said, "There have been no such plans or discussions in this regard."At present, the RMC is only looking after the vaccination of stray animals for which a shelter home has been set up in Namkum, he said.