Mahendrabhai Shrimali runs India’s only shelter for disabled strays in Ahmedabad

 
On a sultry morning, as a Maruti Eco van, which doubles up as an ambulance, nears a shelter for strays in Zundal near Ahmedabad, several dogs rush out, barking excitedly. The only one of its kind in India, this shelter is home to blind, disabled and paralytic dogs. Mahendrabhai Shrimali (centre), the brain behind it, puts you at ease, saying, “Don’t worry, they won’t bite you.” A former State Bank of India officer with a silver mop of hair and matching stubble, Shrimali is a father figure to the 40-odd residents of the shelter. Spread over 1.5 bigha of land donated by a farmer in 2014, the shelter is funded completely by the 65 year-old. He runs it with the help of a seven-member team, including a veterinary doctor. It was the sight of a grievously injured puppy that made Shrimali think of opening a shelter for disabled dogs. “Most strays sustain spinal injuries in violent street fights, often resulting in paralysis,” he says. Depending on the nature of their injury, these dogs are subjected to physiotherapy with a special massage oil that the team has perfected after trial and error. “We have been able to cure more than 25 paralytic dogs till now,” he beams. Once they are cured, the dogs are set free. Meanwhile, taking care of the brood doesn’t come easy; the shelter requires 30 litre of milk and 140 chapattis daily. Shrimali ensures that all expenses for food, lodging and treatment are met from his pension. “A passionate dog lover, Shrimali is completely hands on,” says Dr Nikhil Patel, a veterinary doctor on his team. “Irrespective of time and distance, he’s the first person to rush when a call for help comes.” Each entrant to the shelter gets a name: ‘Camel’ is so named after her hump and ‘Gandhi’ was found in Gandhinagar, while ‘Ambica’ came from Ambicanagar. Currently secretary of the Ahmedabad chapter of People for Animals, Shrimali is also associated with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s animal birth control, sterilisation and vaccination programme. What’s more, he also takes up lawsuits pertaining to the mistreatment of dogs. “Legally, not even the civic body can relocate dogs,” he emphasises, while patting Camel on her hump.

—Nayeem Quadri

Photo: Sumukh Bharadwaj
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
May 2017