List of animal rights groups in Goa

WVS, formerly the International Animal Rescue, shifted from Saligao to Assagao

Norma Alvares, lawyer and animal rights campaigner.

This is a list of animal rights groups and services from the region of Goa, which lies on the west coast of India in South Asia. Goa is a tourist centre, and the concern for animals has been built up both by local and visitor interests in recent years. Issues of poaching and selling of wildlife meat and organs has also been raised.

Among its active groups are the People for Animals-Goa, the International Animal Rescue group, now managed as the WVS India and known as the Hicks ITC. PFA-Goa (People for Animals-Goa) is run by trustees and employs two veterinary doctors, two vet assistants, three admin staff and 12 workers at both its shelters.

Advertising professional Lynn de Souza, right, with staff, at the SPCA in Torda, Porvorim, Goa.

Over some time now, local youth -- including some women -- have also got interested and taken up volunteering in fields like wildlife and snake-rescue services. These are found to be useful as snakes can occasionally enter residential and other in-habitation areas, in a state which is still significantly rural. Lists of snake-rescuers in Goa are available online.

Issues of "stray cattle" have also been raised. After animal-rights campaigners took up the issues, Goa's traditional bullfights were also disallowed by the courts.

In 2014, a coalition of non-profit and campaign groups in Goa -- including International Animal Rescue, People for Animals Goa, South Goa Welfare Trust for Animals, Panjim Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Goa SPCA and Goa Animal Welfare Trust -- came together with the Mission Rabies to undertake a campaign against rabies, with the aimof making Goa rabies-free by 2018.

Individuals have also taken up causes such as promoting veganism.

Following is a list of animal rights groups in Goa, compiled from various sources, some print and also online:

North Goa

• WVS Hicks ITC, managed by WVS India, formerly known as International Animal Rescue]. Training centre for humane dog population control, rabies diagnosis and control, and a low-cost clinic for sick and injured dogs and cats. Based in Assagao. Offers animal ambulance, veterinary clinic with X-ray, shelter, sterilization, vaccination, wildlife rescue, awareness programmes and pet adoption. WVS Hicks' sister-charity Mission Rabies also undertakes the vaccination of stray dogs and their release back in their environment. Earlier, in 2007, IAR has also worked to save stray cattle in Goa.
• Goa SPCA. Socrates Oliver Veterinary Hospital is located at the Torda area of Salvador-do-Mundo village. Services include animal hospital, shelter, anti-rabies vaccination, sterilisation, pet adoption, awareness, animal welfare workshops. It has been run by former Lintas chairperson and chief executive Lynn de Souza.
• People For Animals Goa. Mapusa. Facilities offered include animal shelters, sterilisation, vaccination, pet adoption, animal ambulance, rehabilitation of abandoned cattle. PFA has also undertaken litigation in courts over the rights of animals. People For Animals Goa is one of the seven organisations from across India that came together to form The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisation (FIAPO), according to yourstory dot com.
• Green Cross, Dattawadi, Mapusa. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, conducting awareness drives. Green Cross has also held snake shows in the past.
• Welfare for Animals in Goa. Set up in 2005 by Atul Sarin and Stephanie Panayiotou. Focuses on adoptions and sterilisations. Rescuing stray, injured cattle. Also a cattle sanctuary, vet rescue clinic and a shelter for injured cows, goats, pigs, chickens.
• Panjim Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS, is located at St Inez, Panjim.
• Corporation of City of Panaji Animal Shelter, St. lnez. CCP also undertakes other initiatives like ensuring animals have access to water during the pandemic lockdown.
• Dwarkapuri Goseva Ashram, Kashyalye Tisk, Usgao. Runs a cow shelter.
• Gomantak Gosevak Mahasang, Mayem. Shelter for cattle.
• I Love Goa Dogs, Goa Dogs Trust, Arambol.
• Noah's Animal Care Centre, Calangute. Family charitable trust for sterlisation and vaccination of street dogs primarily in Calangute.
• PFA Ponda Shelter. This, together with the Vasco shelter (see below), is run by PFA Goa, whose president is Norma Alvares, member of the State Animal Welfare Board.

South Goa

• Goa Animal Welfare Trust, Sonsoddo, Raia. Animal hospital, shelter, animal ambulance, sterilization, anti-rabies vaccination, pet adoption.
• South Goa Welfare Trust for Animals. Sterilizing dogs in allotted jurisdiction, rescue, rehabilitate, and treating injured street dogs. In July 2020, Sandra Fernandes was undertaking activities of the SGWTA.
• ARC South Goa. Set up in 2005 by UK-born ex-model and Bollywood casting agent, Janie O’Connor. Palolem area.
• No More Puppies, Varca. Sterilises, feeds and looks after street animals in Varca.
• PFA Vasco Shelter.

Animal Welfare Lawyers

• Norma Alvares, Mapusa.
• Joshua Gracias, Margao.

External links

• ARC South Goa.
• Goa Animal Welfare Trust
• Goa Pet Life, Goa-based group on Facebook administered by Welfare for Animals in Goa (WAG)
• Goa SPCA
• I Love Goa Dogs, Goa Dogs Trust
• International Animal Rescue on Facebook
• Nirmal Kulkarni. Founder of Herpactive & Chairman of Mhadei Research Center. Podcast and interview.
• Noah's Animal Care Centre, Calangute
• No More Puppies, Varca
• Panaji Animal Welfare Society
• People For Animals Goa
• Snake-rescuers in Goa, a June 2019
• South Goa Welfare Trust for Animals
• We For Animals Goa links. Lists groups and activities.
• Welfare for Animals in Goa
• WVS Hicks ITC on Facebook

References

This article "List of animal rights groups in Goa" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:List of animal rights groups in Goa. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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