Our IDA India Volunteer team consisting of Priya, Prathamesh, Mandeep, Vandy and Karan, have been quietly working on the Cow Protection Project. this covers Temple Cows and cattle in Tabelas. They have been visiting many temples to try and figure out ways to help these exploited animals. They suffer from lack of water, they are tied for hours on end with a very short rope and they are exposed to the elements. During this period, the women who hire them for the day, make a lot of money. This business is illegal, but yhe BMC fine of Rs.300/- a month, is so paltry that they happily pay it, get back the confiscated cow and then it's business as usual. Priya and the group also located the main Incharge, a woman called Shanta, who organises this daily business and leases out 50 cows a day. This is only in two suburbs of Mumbai, so the business is really huge and very lucrative. The group has managed to persuade the Incharge to better the conditions of the animals, such as providing them with water, using a longer rope and also affording them some protection from the rain and sun. Priya and the group also visited Tabelas. These are very large enclosures for milch cattle. They found the staff to be secretive and later were told that some of the cattle were not licenced. Here they distributed leaflets in the local language on how to care for these animals and see to their welfare. The work is on-going and much to the benefit of the animals concerned.