GUIDELINES FOR VOLUNTEERS

Namaste!

Thank you for offering to give your time to help the animals of India through the work of

Help in Suffering (HIS).

We have prepared some guidelines for volunteers so that you can understand how our

shelter works before you arrive.

About Help in Suffering (HIS) – Help in Suffering is a registered Indian charitable trust, founded in 1980 by the late Miss Crystal Rogers who was an Englishwoman. There are five trustees, the Managing Trustee being Mrs. Timmie Kumar. Mme Janine Vogler and Mrs. Christine Townend are Patrons of HIS.

HIS animal shelter lies about 10 kilometres south of the city of Jaipur in the outer suburb of Durgapura in a relatively peaceful area known as Maharani Farm. The site is well shaded under the many trees of the compound which encompasses approximately 2 acres.

About thirty-six people work at Help in Suffering. The majority of these are known as “compounders” who are responsible for the day-to- day care of the animals and are like veterinary nurses or animal techs; there are a few administrative staff. The veterinary team consists of 5 Indian veterinary surgeons, and one British vet. Of these, three are small animal vets; one is our resident camel vet. Volunteer veterinary surgeons from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand often work at the shelter. During the summer months especially, there are often veterinary students helping, from many different countries.

HIS runs main animal welfare projects:

Camel Project – The project helps the working camels of Jaipur and educates owners in humane husbandry. Most of the work is done on the streets of Jaipur and surrounding villages. Free reflectors are fixed to camel carts to prevent road accidents. Dr Swami undertakes most of this work. In addition Help in Suffering runs a rural camel rescue centre based in a small town Bassi 25 miles (40 km) from Jaipur which provides care to hospitalised camels and working camels locally. Dr Rakesh lives at the CRC and runs the Centre.

Equine Welfare Project – Some animals are hospitalised at HIS and severe welfare cases are humanely destroyed. The formal equine project was wound up by Brooke Hospital for Animals but HIS maintains an interest in equine welfare and has a limited budget to help equine cases but on a smaller scale than hitherto.

Animal Birth Control Programme (ABC) – The animal birth control programme sterilizes and vaccinates approximately 3,500 street dogs per annum. A further 5,000 dogs annually are vaccinated against rabies. Extensive records are kept to help understand street dog biology and rabies epidemiology.

ABC Extension Project – Although without formal dedicated funding this project allows HIS to share the expertise gained in conducting the ABC programme, with other animal protection groups in south Asia which are establishing ABC programmes. Managers, vets,compounders and dog catchers are trained at HIS and on training trips. The project collects and publishes data on the effects of the ABC programme.

Rescue and Re-homing Programme – Injured street animals are rescued and where possible re-homed. An out-patients’ clinic is run at the shelter to provide veterinary care. Village camps are also conducted in remote areas where free treatment is given to the working and production animals.

Greater information on the work of Help in Suffering and on the staff involved can be found on our web site www.his-india.in.