Revolutionising animal welfare with TACO

At the Tapobhoomi Gaushala in Faizupur Khadar, Faridabad, a touching sight greets the eyes. Over 150 happy, well-fed stray animals thrive in harmony, basking in the love and care given by the staff at the shelter. Most of the animals, including aged and injured stray cows and abandoned or injured dogs, are in various stages of recovery and are a powerful testament to the transformative impact of the shelter. Unfortunately, the need for more such havens in a country like India is immense, far surpassing the resources currently available. Thousands of animals continue to suffer in silence every day, deprived of the care they desperately need.

The Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), the social impact arm of Vedanta, launched The Animal Care Organization (TACO), a one-of-its-kind animal welfare initiative, in 2022. TACO, which runs the Tapobhoomi Gaushala, has turned it into a modern animal shelter with advanced medical facilities. In keeping with its vision of transforming animal welfare in India one paw print at a time through model animal shelters, TACO aims to replicate the Tapobhoomi shelter's success across the country.

Projects like TACO demonstrate how dedicated animal welfare initiatives can create a ripple effect, driving positive change and securing a brighter future for all living beings. Guided by the ‘One Health’ approach that recognises that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals, plants and our wider environment, TACO aims to create "a compassionate India where every animal lives with dignity and respect." The organisation caters to the needs of stray and domesticated animals through its six pillars: Shelter (to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome sick or injured animals), Hospital (to offer state-of-the-art medical care), Academy (to educate and train the community), Wildlife (to focus on conservation), Sector Development (to be a thought-leader in the animal welfare sector through conclaves and conferences), and Disaster Relief (to improve animal care in instances of natural calamities). TACO set the ball rolling by signing an MoU with the Government of Haryana and adopting the Tapobhoomi Gaushala, which works towards rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming animals.

One of the focus areas of TACO is to foster humane handling and high-quality veterinary care for India's street and domesticated animals. From rescuing an abandoned American Bully pet dog with maggot wounds and rehabilitating it with a loving family to rescuing cows with severe injuries, TACO has benefitted over 60,000 animals through health camps in collaboration with Business Units and AAF's flagship social impact project, Nand Ghar. In fact, TACO rescued 4,850 animals during the floods in Delhi and Haryana last year.

The shelter's veterinary team and staff are often called upon to attend to rescue calls round-the-clock. Their expertise is critical in ensuring the animals receive timely treatment and care. Therefore, TACO facilitates regular training workshops to upgrade the knowledge of the staff at the shelter. In the past year, TACO has teamed up with professionals from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Dairy Services (DS) for several workshops, on essential practices for improved animal well-being, enhancing shelter management practices and silage-making to improve animal nutrition. In 2023, TACO also flagged off a fully equipped veterinary ambulance that operates in the rural parts of the Faridabad district. The organization has also set up a clinical complex comprising of a veterinary hospital, a laboratory and an OT on the same premises.

Another important focus area for TACO is raising awareness about animal rights. To throw the spotlight on this issue, TACO regularly conducts programmes, such as feeding stray animals and felicitating the 'dog superheroes' who dedicatedly fed 400-500 dogs every day in Mumbai and Delhi on International Dog Day. On Animal Rights Day, in 2023, TACO conducted an awareness session for school children in Faridabad.

Addressing the needs of animals today can lead to a healthier, more sustainable future for all living beings. Taking care of animals is not just an act of kindness but also an investment in the well-being of our planet and future generations. Acknowledging the interdependence of human health, animal welfare, and the environment, projects like AAF's TACO exemplify how dedicated efforts in animal welfare can drive positive change and secure a better tomorrow.