Yes , ever so often I have been termed as a member of those mad people (pagal log). My reactions often compared to a rabid dog if anything negative is said about the stray dogs on the road. To be honest I am like a strecthed rubber band on some days (ready to snap) as I go on my feeding rounds. The angst, the frustations and the helplessness we face while trying to help the dogs can really be overwhelming at times. So without the right context I suppose I must be appearing to be a mad man.
Volunteering in animal welfare, especially for stray dogs, is like being in a never-ending tug-of-war—with no halftime and definitely no snacks. While it’s undeniably noble, it’s also a wild rollercoaster of emotions and challenges that leaves animal welfare volunteers behaving like trains running out of tracks, ready to derail at any moment.
Let’s dig into why these unsung heroes often seem a bit frazzled and considered sometimes a bunch of mad people (pagal log).
The “To-Do” List That Never Ends
Imagine trying to put out fires while it’s raining cats and dogs—literally. That’s what most animal welfare volunteers in Pune face daily. Stray dog populations far outnumber the available resources, and volunteers juggle everything from feeding to arranging medical care, often with the budget of a college student’s weekend plan. It’s no wonder they’re perpetually running on caffeine and sheer willpower. There is no turning back, no U turn and no retreat for them. The show just must go on.
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The Emotional Tug-of-War: Compassion Fatigue
Rescuing strays isn’t just hard on the wallet; it’s tough on the heart too. Every day could bring a new sob story—injured dogs, abandoned pets, and heartbreaking cases of neglect. Over time, this constant exposure chips away at even the most stoic hearts. And while saving one dog feels like winning a small battle, knowing you can’t save them all feels like losing the war. Cue the emotional burnout.
Yes, some might say it is choice made not enforced, one could always back out but backing out is not an option as the volunteer is probably that last bastion that the animal has for support. Abandoning them is rarely the route taken as the true animal welfare volunteer just plods on regardless.
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The Case of the Vanishing Funds
Love may make the world go round, but it doesn’t pay vet bills. Despite their best efforts, volunteers often find themselves in a constant game of “Where’s the funding?” While everyone claims to adore animals, the donation box stays depressingly empty. It’s a bit like throwing a party where everyone eats but nobody brings a dish.
Volunteers are expected to be the guardians of the helpless however these guardians still have to pay vets, hospitals, ambulances and pet shops while walking on the path of their vocation. The volunteer might have decided to work for free but all the cogs in the ecosystem require the moolah grease to make the wheels turn. NO MONEY, no honey hun.
Having to let a pup die because one just does not the funds to take it to a hospital or purchase the meds is a nightmare scenario often. It feels as if one’s soul has been ripped out.
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Society: The Peanut Gallery Nobody Asked For
Feeding and caring for stray dogs should earn you a medal, right? Wrong. It often earns volunteers side-eyes, verbal abuse, and the occasional “Why don’t you just adopt them all?” Society’s hostility can make volunteers feel like they’re starring in a dystopian drama where kindness is a crime. So many of us have had to choose unearthly hours to feed the street animals just so that we do not have to face the daily abuse. Ironic that it is volunteers to abiding by the law and respecting the constitution and yet we have to behave like fugitives.
Social Ostracism is not uncommon. The crime of being humane has consequences with far reaching emotional damage.
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Bureaucracy: The Ultimate Villain
If there’s one thing more challenging than rescuing stray dogs, it’s battling bureaucracy. Getting permissions, accessing medical facilities, or filing complaints about cruelty often feels like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded. The red tape is so thick, even the dogs would chew through it if they could.
One of the biggest forms of trauma faced by a volunteer is that perpetrators of injustice towards street dogs normally go scot free much to the dismay of the caretaker. The laws are there but it takes time, effort and money to ensure justice is given. The procedure of filing a complaint at the police station, ensuring the right articles of the law are applied is a long and cumbersome process which the volunteer cannot afford. Volunteering a part time job, volunteers have to go back to work, earn money to sustain their vocation, their time is needed on the street serving the street dogs so many a time ‘to keep quiet’ and ‘not follow up’ is a practical and heart breaking solutions. Volunteers often feel the have abandoned their loved ones due to this whole long unending process.
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A Plea for Paw-sitive Change
Volunteers aren’t superheroes (though they come pretty close). They need empathy, support, and a helping hand from society. Public awareness campaigns, better funding, and fewer bureaucratic hurdles would go a long way. And maybe, just maybe, a little more kindness from the community could turn those frayed nerves into renewed hope.
| Animal welfare isn’t just about animals—it’s a reflection of our humanity. Let’s make it a story we can all be proud of. |
The Kunashni Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of community animals living on the streets of Pune, promoting responsible ownership and raising awareness about animal welfare.