Angels Of Pune: Giving Stray Animals A Second Chance At Life

For an injured or abandoned animal on the streets of Pune, timely medical care can often mean the difference between life and death. For Karma Foundation, ensuring that distance does not become another barrier to treatment has been at the heart of its work.

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Co-founded by animal rescuer Priya Kailad and Aditya Makharia, the foundation was established with the aim of providing emergency veterinary care within Pune’s city limits. Kailad had been involved in animal rescue for nearly two decades before the foundation was established.

“Earlier, she used to pick up these sick and injured animals and drive to charities which were up to one and a half hours away from Pune city,” said Aditya Makharia, Co-founder and Vice President, Karma Foundation, Pune. “The intention was to be able to provide emergency care within the city limits,” he said.

What began as a 200-square-foot office has since expanded into a 15,000-square-foot facility in Aundh, equipped as a full-fledged hospital for emergency animal care. The aim, Makharia said, is to ensure that animals are not denied treatment simply because they are too far from a veterinary facility.

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The hospital primarily treats cats and dogs, which account for around 98 per cent of its cases, while pigs, horses and goats are also treated occasionally. The cases range from snake bites and injuries sustained during animal fights to severe instances of human-inflicted cruelty, including beatings, rape and acid attacks.

“In fact, in the past few months, especially after the Supreme Court stand, we have seen a lot of cruelty cases come in where people are just randomly beating up dogs for the heck of it,” he said.

The hospital operates through an inpatient department (IPD) and a community outpatient department (OPD). Around 150 animals are admitted and given free treatment every month through the IPD, while the community clinic sees approximately 350 to 400 animals every month.

For some animals, however, treatment involves complex surgeries and lengthy rehabilitation.

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One such case involved an abandoned dog suffering from spinal trauma that had left it paralysed. After MRI and CT scans indicated that spinal surgery could potentially help the animal, the foundation had to arrange specialised equipment and a surgeon to carry out the procedure.

“Mobilising that spinal surgery was very challenging because it began by buying the equipment, getting a surgeon to do the surgery, and then, after the surgery, we had to actually install a swimming pool for hydrotherapy and get the centre tiled so that the dog does not scrape while recovering,” he said.

Another rescue involved a cat that became impaled on the sharp metal bars of a residential society gate while attempting to jump over it. The team had to reach the site with machinery, cut through the bar, and carefully free the animal.

“Getting that cat out of that situation, we had to go with some machinery to cut the bar, extricate the cat on the site, and finally the cat fully recovered and was released,” he said.

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While emergency treatment is central to Karma Foundation’s work, prolonged rehabilitation presents its own challenges. Makharia said animals that remain at the hospital for more than three months can sometimes struggle to readjust when they are eventually released.

“Some cases are really severe, and three months is not enough for their recovery. And then, if they stay with us for four or five months, where do we drop them back is the biggest question,” he said.

The foundation is also facing uncertainty over its own future. Its lease for the current facility is due to expire in December, and the organisation is looking to raise funds to purchase a permanent property in Pune.

“We are looking for support for buying a new place somewhere in Pune and setting up a hospital which can run now also and after us also,” he said. The intention, he added, is to create a permanent facility where animals can continue to receive free treatment.

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Beyond medical care, Karma Foundation is also pushing for greater accountability within animal welfare. Over the past year, it has started microchipping animals that it picks up and subsequently releases, including those treated for trauma and those undergoing sterilisation.

Makharia said the absence of a system to track animals between rescue, treatment, and release remains a significant concern. Microchipping, he believes, can help establish a record of the animal and the organisation responsible for its treatment.

“We have actually started microchipping every animal that we pick up and release, whether it is sterilisation or whether it is trauma,” he said.

The foundation has also encountered instances in which individuals allegedly attempt to raise funds using animals already under Karma Foundation’s care. When such cases are identified, the organisation alerts the public through its social media platforms.

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“If it is one of the animals that is under our care and there is someone else trying to raise funds for it, then of course we get involved,” he said.

For Makharia, however, one of the most pressing animal welfare concerns in Pune is the need for effective and widespread sterilisation. Karma Foundation has carried out approximately 2,500 to 3,000 sterilisation procedures over the past year. The organisation has also encountered dogs whose ears had been notched but who were subsequently found to be pregnant or lactating, raising questions about whether they had actually undergone sterilisation.

The foundation’s long-term plan is to establish smaller hospitals dedicated specifically to sterilisation across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. It aims to achieve 85-90 per cent sterilisation coverage and make Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad rabies-free by 2030.

“We are trying to set up smaller hospitals just for sterilisations, maybe around 10 of them across the city, and we want to make Pune-Pimpri-Chinchwad rabies-free by 2030 and have at least 85-90% sterilisation coverage,” he said.

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Another gap the foundation hopes to address is the absence of a sanctuary for animals that cannot survive independently in their natural environment because of permanent disabilities.

“There is no sanctuary in Pune, so there are a lot of animals who lose two legs or both eyes, but they want to live. There are only hospitals; there is no sanctuary,” he said. “In the future, we plan to build a sanctuary for those animals who can't survive in their natural habitat.”

Makharia believes greater coordination between NGOs, volunteers, and municipal authorities is essential to improving the city’s animal welfare infrastructure. He argues that civic funds should be directed towards creating dedicated sterilisation facilities, which NGOs could then operate.

“Charity organisations and the municipal corporations need to work together,” he said. “Let the PMC or the PCMC spend on infrastructure and let the NGOs do the sterilisation.”

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For Karma Foundation, the work is therefore about more than rescuing animals in immediate distress. From emergency treatment and complex surgeries to sterilisation, microchipping and plans for a sanctuary, the organisation is attempting to build a more structured system of animal welfare in Pune, one where animals can access care closer to the city, recover with dignity and, wherever possible, return to the streets they call home.

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