Recent Rescues

In January Nigel was called to help PETA to rescue two chimpanzees from a circus in Pune, near Bombay . With a great deal of valuable advice from IPAN's friend Dr. James Mahoney from USA Nigel travelled to Bombay to see the chimpanzees and evaluate the situation. This investigation resulted in the AWBI withdrawing permission for the animal to perform in the circus.

A pony was rescued from Bokkapuram temple in Masinagudi where it was made to jump through hoops of fire by a travelling circus. The pony suffered minor burns but the most damage was psychological. It is currently doing well at the IPAN rescue shelter.

The flaming loop through which the pony was made to jump.

The pony suffered numerous burns and is very nervous

The pony is recovering well at the shelter

A spotted deer was attacked by village dogs and was rescued by IPAN staff that treated it and released it the same day.

Spotted Deer being treated by Veterinary Volunteer Nurse Lynda and Nigel Otter, before its release

A 4 year old female Bonnet macaque was rescued from Varkala, Kerala by Bulgarian tourists Vera & George Koller, who hired a taxi to bring the macaque from Kerala to IPAN. In Varkala, the monkey was tied with a chain around its waist to a pole between 2 trees for 4 years. It was not able to move more than 6-8 feet; even if food fell to the ground it was not able to reach it. On approaching the tree the monkey was often attacked by ants. Physically the monkey is deformed from having a chain around its stomach for so long, but the psychological damage is far worse. The monkey is very nervous especially around women. It is also very wary of strangers and prefers to live on top of the monkey enclosure instead of inside with the other monkeys. It is making good progress and in an unusual development has recently befriended some wild bonnet macaques and is soon to be a mother.

Anu being greeted by our resident monkeys at IPAN

Anu sleeping peacefully for the first time in four years after being released from her chain at IPAN

Anu is settling well at the shelter but prefers to live on the roof of the monkey enclosure.

Gia is an infant bonnet macaque rescued from The Charminar Express train between Hyderabad and Chennai. A child had it after removing it from its mother was going to use it to beg for money. A passenger Ms Jennifer Raj bought it from the child, seeing that the monkey was not well (it had a large abscess under its jaw) immediately brought to IPAN. The baby monkey had severe diarrhoea and was dehydrated. It was treated by IPAN staff and is doing well at the shelter.

Gia when she was brought into the shelter

Gia has grown into a lively playful monkey

Gia drinking milk and in a playful mood

On the night of 27 th March a truck transporting 18 cows was stopped by Mr. B.K. Kumaran. A Case was registered and the truck and cattle were confiscated by the Coonoor Town Police. The following morning representatives from the SPCA and IPAN met the Police Inspector on duty Velumuragan. This Inspector was most helpful and agreed to hold the cows in his custody pending the ruling of the Judicial Magistrate .

Cows were examined by animal activists present and given food and water. They were in a fair condition given the overcrowding on the truck. No Veterinarian was available in Coonoor and the animals were left outside the gate of the Jain Temple under loose protection of the Police Station staff next door. During the course of the day many butchers from all towns in the Nilgiris collected outside the Police Station and Magistrates Court [these are next to each other] the crowd was very hostile and situation remained tense till late in the evening. At that time the Magistrate having heard arguments from both sides released the cows into the custody of IPAN representative present.

The Butchers were very upset by this ruling and scuffles and angry scenes broke out. It was then impossible to go out and hire three truck to load these animals on their three-hour journey to the IPAN Animal Refuge in Mavanhalla, The Magistrate ordered the Police to give protection to the trucks and accompany them to Mavanhalla. The Police could not give the extent of protection needed as they were outnumbered. For a while it was also impossible for the animal activists to leave the shelter of the Magistrates Chamber.

Extra Police were called in and there was a mild lathi charge. This did not help matters and the crowd increased with the arrival of another truckload of butchers. The Magistrate then decided with the agreement of the activists that pending the availability of a Veterinarian the whole matter would be postponed till the next day. The cows remained in the unwilling custody of the Police and were fed and watered by the equally unwilling Butchers.

The next morning Nigel Otter of IPAN accompanied by Secretary SPCA and the Government Veterinary Doctor from Coonoor Dr Appuswamy checked the 18 cows and found that two of them were pregnant. These two cows were confiscated and taken to IPAN. The remaining 16 cows were returned to the butchers on receipt of a surety for Rs 75,000. This compromise was reached as we felt that the Butcher Police row was taking an unpleasant communal turn and acted on the advice of the judicial magistrate to diffuse the situation.

The next day Nigel Otter obtained custody of 2 pregnant cows a case was filed against the butchers and transporters and the lorry was seized by the police. The cows are currently at the shelter.

The two pregnant cows that were confiscated and handed over to IPAN

Press cutting regarding the incident

This dog was brought to the attention of IPAN staff while they were driving through Wellington , by its owners. Its left eyeball was hanging out of the socket due to an accident. It was operated on at the shelter and was also spayed and vaccinated and returned to the owners.

The dog lost one eye but has recovered very well

A wild male Bonnet Macaque found his way into a villager's home and was caught and severely beaten by the owner. IPAN staff were called and treated the monkey for a few weeks after which it was released back into the wild.

The monkey suffered horrific injuries and was treated by IPAN staff

The monkey being released back into the wild and greeted by other monkeys

This tiny puppy was found by Portuguese tourists at Mettupalayam railway station. She was in a bad condition with mange and very undernourished. They abandoned their train and brought her to IPAN the next day. They have named her Rosa and enquire about her regularly. She has grown stronger into a healthy happy little dog.

Rosa as she was the day she was brought to the shelter

She is now a cheerful healthy puppy

This group of dogs were stolen by gypsies to be sold in Mysore perhaps for their skin which would then be painted and sold in trains as fake panther skin. Sometimes the dog meat is mixed with lamb and used in roadside hotels. The dogs have been spayed and neutered and vaccinated and returned to Ooty where they were stolen. Some were adopted by local tea estate owners.

The dogs after confiscation on their way to the IPAN shelter

A local guesthouse found an orphaned baby spotted deer. It was malnourished and dehydrated and in spite of the best of care and treatment it did not survive because it did not have the cholestrom milk from its mother.

Despite the staffs best efforts the baby did not survive

Donkeys rescued from Coimbatore with horrific burns due to branding around the neck and back. The tips of the nose and ears were cut off. People for Animals, in Coimbatore contacted IPAN and arranged for the donkeys to be moved to the shelter. They are terribly scarred but recovering well

The donkeys suffered horrific burns at the hands of their owners

The donkeys nostrils and ears were sliced open and raw and the branding extended right to the rump area

Ex racehorse rescued from Ooty, this was bought by a school for the children to ride but was then sold to an individual who abandoned it on the road. However the horse kept returning to the school so the school authorities were worried that the horse might harm the children, so it was sent to the shelter.

Racehorse being treated at the shelter

Wild hares were rescued after they had been trapped by a local woman in Dindigul in Tamil Nadu who was trying to sell them for meat at the bus stand. IPAN staff confiscated the animals who were handed over to The Forest Department and later released back into the forest.

The wild hares were confiscated by IPAN and later handed over to forest officials who released them