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At present it is October and finally there has been sufficient rain ending the hot and dry summer. Most of our cattle are now grazing outside during the day, eating the fresh grass and recovering their strength. We are looking back at the most devastating drought in decades. Had it not been for your love and support it would have made it almost impossible for Karuna to look after all our rescued animals. That is why we want to thank each one of you who helped Karuna’s cows over the last few months.
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Cows grazing in fresh grass And finally, we found water!
It was not only the challenge of trying to find feed and fodder for the animals but, as we were waiting for the rain to come and the grass to grow, we were suddenly faced with another disaster: an acute water shortage due to depletion of the groundwater. For the first time in the history of Karuna our bore wells were dry.
Both bore wells, at the cattle hospital and in the “Ahimsa Farm” failed and so we had to find a new water source quickly. At the Ahimsa Farm we had to drill four times before finding water but at the cattle hospital our first attempt was successful. The groundwater level is now as low as 600 feet deep. This is very traumatising for all the villagers and farmers who depend on the water for their small crops.
Due to the pressure on our financial resources we adopted out some of the cows to local farmers after making sure the new caretaker had the means to feed the animal. Our first priority is the survival of the animals. We still have around 300 cows and buffaloes to care for.
If all this was not enough the next problem we are facing is a political one, the unrest in our state. The division of Andhra Pradesh has caused protests and ongoing strikes. We, in Rayalaseema, will stand to lose the much needed development of water facilities and electricity plants. All the buses have stopped, banks are mainly closed so we cannot make payments and supplies do not arrive due to barricades blocking the road for all transport. The post office is also closed and no government office is in service. Taxis to and from the airport can only travel by night. Veterinary doctors are not available. At present the situation has eased a little bit but we don’t know what will happen next. We can only deal with all of this on a day-to-day basis, adjusting to the most urgent problems at hand.
Being burdened by different serious problems, at the same time the Board of Karuna has to consider the future. We need to find new ways of securing the lives of our animals and also consider our limits.
One idea of how to care for our cows and buffaloes is to have two separate projects: first, a project for white local cows whose by-products, like urine, can be used for the production of ayurvedic medicine and second: a “milk free buffalo project” where we care for our 120 castrated and sterilised male and female buffaloes.
So it has been a challenging time but we survived thanks to the collective efforts of all.
From all animals, one more time THANK YOU!!!!!
FOR ONGOING SUPPORT FOR KARUNA’S ANIMALS KINDLY
CLICK HERE TO DONATE
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