Extreme rains in Mumbai raise concern for stray animals; NGO comes to the rescue

As the monsoons arrive in Mumbai, the city streets start to flood with water. Flood-like situations can already be seen in the low-lying areas of Mumbai. Various issues like water logging, traffic snarls, and electricity cuts visibly affect the people of Mumbai.

What is not visible, is the inconvenience for strays. Rains create havoc for street animals, and most affected are the stray dogs and cats, some of them even perish because of the vagaries of weather.

During monsoons, stray animals are most prone to illnesses such as skin infections, waterborne viral fever and more. Constantly staying wet during rainfall, unhygienic drinking water and cold weather during monsoon is the main cause of illness and deaths. Other than this, one of the biggest concerns for animals during the rainy season is the lack of proper food and shelter.

Recently, in a bid to rescue these animals and birds, a step was taken by the NGO Resqink Association of Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) in Mumbai. With the help of two wildlife ambulances, six rescue staff and 20 volunteers, the NGO rescued 88 animals and birds impacted by heavy rainfalls and flash floods.

These animals include macaques, jackals, mongoose, turtles, snakes, birds, and many more, who usually get wet and displaced from their original habitats or get electrocuted by live wires.

Those of us who have pets, know that it's important to take extra care in order to ensure safety and a healthy environment during the wet season. So, why not do the same for these furry creatures who live on the streets. Taking small steps like providing them with shelter and food or maybe just a blanket to stay warm is all it takes.

Simple measures like building temporary shelters in your compound can go a long way in helping them. Other than this, one can just keep a bowl of water and feed them a warm meal if possible as stray animals struggle to find food during the monsoon.

Monsoon has been difficult for everyone this year, but a little empathy goes a long way! Let’s try to keep the strays safe and healthy, ensuring harmony between animals and humans.