In My New Home

I'm a pouncer - just love to attack my toys and chase paper balls and moving toys around the room. That's why my Guardian has to hold on tight - I'm just waiting to race around the room and climb the curtains! Check me out on the IDA Adoption site. You can see my pic just after the small adopted white pup. I've been adopted too. Just love my new home and family. Best of luck to all you guys still waiting at IDA Deonar and Vashi. Hope all of you find loving and exciting homes soon like I did!!

Little Angels Turn Attack Dogs!

Have you ever seen such sweet innocent faces? They are brother and sister and are at present at our Deonar Centre. Now, check out that second picture! It's such fun to find a shoe, attack, grab and play with it, especially when somebody's foot is still inside!! Now that is a challenge!
Maybe with a two-pronged attack they will manage to get it off and run away!

A Blissful Moment

It's not too bad being confined for a week at IDA even if all of us are waiting to be operated! After it's over, the food is good, the company's not bad - we all just laze around in comfort. But the best moment is when a kind visitor notices that some of us are quite friendly. Then it's relaxing time up close and personal near the bars, paws crossed, eyes closed, being rubbed lovingly behind the ear. Pure bliss!!!

I'm the King of the IDA Deonar Castle!

Meet Manya, the fat cat who reigns supreme at IDA Deonar. He's one cool customer and lords it over all and sundry. The latter being all the shelter dogs who roam free on the premises. All these tough guys treat Manya with a great deal of respect. He's the IDA office companion cat and all us humans are very willing to provide him with a comfortable lap to sit on when he feels like it. He strolls about the office building, completely at ease among the dogs relaxing on the premises. Here he is with Senior Wardboy Ranjith, who like all the rest of us, has been trained by Manya to give him a glorious neck rub!

It's Chow Time!

This is one of the favourite times at the Deonar Centre. Don't miss the neat and orderly lines!


The wardboys stand quietly on the sidelines just in case. But usually all the dogs are quite content to put their heads down and get on with it. In the second and third picture, you can see our beautiful blind dog Helen. She's the only blind dog who strolls about with all the sighted ones and she has her meals alongside all the others also. Later on, she will tiptoe delicately about the premises, until she reaches one of her favourite spots where she settles down for a nap.

Appu is in the last pic. She's a tiny little thing and you can see why. She's only finished the milk in the bowl and left all the rest!

Newly Renovated Office at Deonar

Check out the newly renovated office at IDA Deonar! Manager Krishna is in front of the new flexi-board that is delight to the eye. In the next picture, you can see our Senior Vet Dr. Guruprasad sitting beside Prashant who mans the help-line all day.

Mr. Sleepyhead Has a New Home

Our little cutie has graduated from his milk bowl to a much more comfortable and loving environment. He's been adopted and check out how he is enjoying himself! He's home at last, in the arms of his sweet guardian.

Count the Kitties

Figured out how many kittens there are milling around in the basket and on the carpet? The total is five - two sets from two different families, all come together for the photo op. We are busy making them a large enclosure to play in and get enough sunshine and exercise. At present they are confined to the large Cat Ward.

Waiting For a Nice Soft Couch to Call my Own

This delicate little creature already looks like a work of art.....and she is sitting in a cage. She would come alive sitting on a windowsill in someone's home, enjoying the morning Sun. If you are reading this, that means you are interested in the welfare of animals and would like to be associated with them. So, go ahead and associate with them. Have you got a small animal companion at home? If not, why haven't you got one yet? There's no earthly reason to deprive yourself of such a precious relationship - the cat or the dog you take into your home is not long lived. It's a short term relationship at best. These small animals only live for 10 to 15 years. Spare that much time in your life to experience this very special friendship. You won't regret it. And remember, at IDA we have the most beautiful cats and the most handsome, pleasant dogs waiting to meet you.

Beautiful Orange Kitty at IDA

We often have pretty little kittens like this coming into our Cat Ward at Deonar. They are so good-looking, they really need a small space in someone's house and they will 'dress up' whatever room they are in. Cats are so quiet, composed and sometimes playful that they are always a joy to look after. Have a look at some of the kittens at our Centre and do consider adopting one of them. They are really very good for your health and state of mind.

Nap Time at IDA Deonar

Some of us like the cool floor and others like to sleep in their very own milk bowl!!
Our two latest cuties at IDA - Aren't they handsome? And they are healthy too. Both of them are in a foster home at present, and yes, they are fun to look after and be with. They are waiting for a loving home . Can you believe? We have many more simply beautiful pups like this at IDA who are there with their mothers. These two in the picture are motherless and in urgent need of a safe and happy home and lots of tender loving care. Think about it!

Another IDA Charmer For Adoption

This beautiful little male pup is about one and a half month old. He's motherless but of a very cheerful disposition. In fact, his Centre name is 'Naughty'. He gets up to mischief all the time even though he is quite small. At present he is in foster care enjoying personalized attention, his toys and good things to eat. He's really good-looking with a beautiful coat and floppy ears.

Sleepyhead For Adoption at IDA

Pintoo is a real charmer, and very, very tired after drinking all his milk. As you can see, he's found the most comfortable bed - this fat little boy has curled up inside one of the milk bowls. He's just one month old, very plump and has pretty light eyes as well. And the pictures tell it all - he just loves to sleep!

A Volunteer Bathing Kittens at IDA

As all of us know, kittens should not be bathed, but these five little rascals managed to upset their bowl of milk and get soaked in the same!

So our willing volunteer had to rush with soap, warm water, towels and a hair dryer to get them warm and dry as soon as possible. She did a good job and the kittens were soon purring and warm again.

So if you happen to visit our Centre, please do check on the kittens and see that they are all okay. If you would like to foster one or two or three, feel free! Remember, you are actually giving a little one a chance at staying alive and well, and it's easy to do and most of the time, it's fun!

IDA Pup With his Foster Parents

Meet Pau Kilo. Daniel and Selvi are fostering him for IDA. This little fellow was badly bitten and had a big wound near his front shoulder. Now in Daniel's able hands, and Selvi's loving care, he is comfortable and healing well.

That's what fostering a little animal is all about - extending loving care to a creature that needs it and experiencing such happiness in return. All the best, Pau Kilo!! Get well soon !

Our Latest Orphan

This handsome doberman is all alone in the world now. He was unfortunate enough to lose his beloved guardian. The rest of the family didn't want him and there was no one to care for him, so we brought him to IDA Deonar for safety and shelter. He is completely traumatised and sad as he doesn't know what is going on and why he's all alone now and without his home.
If anyone is good in dealing with this breed and could do anything to help, do let us know.

Look Who Was Left Outside our Gate!

This beautiful boy was found outside our gate at Deonar. As usual, someone had dumped their unwanted pet as he had developed medical problems. This little chap couldn't walk. All his legs had stopped functioning.
Anyway, our doctors got to work with medicines and heat treatment and in two weeks there he is - standing straight and whenever he gets a chance, bouncing around!!!
What about his collapsed legs? All he required was a little patient medical treatment, lots of love and an enthusiastic group of IDA admirers urging him to walk. He would get so excited when he saw any of us approaching, he would make every effort to get up.
The sad person who abandoned him has lost a truly sweet companion. As for the doggy himself, he has now found his true home with a really caring person and best of all, he has another spaniel for company as well.

IDA Sponsor Dogs Celebrate Friendship Day!

Here's Bruno, lost in thought! Probably thinking of the sweet girls who came all the way to IDA Deonar to tie Friendship ribbons on their favourite dogs there. The doggies were presented with nice new collars as well and the ribbons along with loving message, were tied to the collars.
All the dogs are enjoying a lot of visits now from the hosts of friends they have made over the years. And if you are not nervous of coming face to face with big guys like this, you are more than welcome to visit IDA and do a little bonding with all the dogs who call it home.

Enjoying the new Laadi Benches

Most of our sponsor dogs use this long verandah for purposes of relaxation! The floor is cool, they have fans above and they can watch all the action going on without getting up.
We thought they would like some laadi benches to sit on and sleep under - and we were right!! That's Keeno, Prema and Noni lolling comfortably on the bench while the other doggy prefers the sheltered 'den' below. Have a look at all of them and our five new benches which we managed to get with the help of a kind and thoughtful Sponsor.

Meet Sami our IDA Foster Pup

Sami's Sayings.............................

"Is that my breakfast I see before me??"

"When my tummy's full, I like to relax with my friend 'Bunny' .
here we are in my cozy den."

"But many times I catch hold of him, and we wrestle!"

The Littlest IDA Foster Kitten

This charming little scrap is not as innocent as she looks. She's what is known as 'hyper' when it comes to playing. She's so small that she still has to be fed by a syringe (full of milk). But she enjoys her food so much, that she hangs onto the syringe with both tiny paws while she is drinking. Her lovely colour,orange, black and white is known as tortoiseshell. Isn't she pretty? She will remain in foster care until she is a little bigger. By the time, all of us can look for the lucky person who is going to adopt her!

Mindless Cruelty in Mumbai

Three nights ago I got a distress call from Vikhroli Parksite. Someone had dumped a large group of small pups into a rubbish bin! Our night service went to the rescue and collected them from the person who had carefully taken them out of the bin and kept them in a basket, waiting for our van. They were a dozen plump little siblings, all just wrenched away from their mother and disposed of like garbage.

These little ones are now at IDA Deonar and have to be bottle fed four times a day. The mother was untraceable and one can only imagine what she is going through, deprived of the babies she looked after so well. They are still all bursting with health, though it's doubtful how long they will remain so without their mother.

It is simply astounding that people can resort to such needless cruelty. The question is, how do we prevent these truly mindless criminal actions? One way is to trace this type of culprit and then let the law take it's course. Another is to extend one's help as a member of the public to get the strays in your vicinity sterilised. Little ones born on the roads of Mumbai are prey to every type of cruelty, injury and death. Let's all help to prevent this type of thing from happening in our city.

Some of the IDA Kittens in Foster Care

This cute little bunch is just half of the lot that arrived in two baskets at the Deonar Centre.

As you can see, they love sitting in a bunch for warmth, even though they are different sizes and ages. The two smallest ones are the most mischievous, the white is calm and serene and gets bullied by the little pair. They are one and a half months old and the larger handsome brown one in front is about two months. It's fun to watch them play and race for their food bowls when they arrive. Check them out on our adoption site also - they are all waiting for a warm, comfortable home.

Looking for Foster Homes

The few days it was raining cats and dogs in Mumbai, at IDA Deonar, it was raining puppies and kittens!! Two basketfuls of kittens arrived on Saturday, brought by a well meaning volunteer. To keep them in some semblence of health, they have to be whisked away from all the other large animals who have come in for treatment or their operations. This is easier said than done! Where do we whisk them away to? Only one of them really needed daily medical attention as it was partially paralysed, but the others were normal, healthy and pretty little kittens, so we had to divi them up - two went to one home and three to another, and yes, both are 'IDA' employee/member homes.

Still looking out anxiously for all those potential foster parents out there. (We know you are out there!) Having always, or anyway, most of the time, had a little one in my own home, I can guarantee it's no big deal- in fact 2 kittens together can be the most entertaining couple you've ever seen. They sleep in a cozy ball in a small basket. Eat and play together with anything you provide, like a paper ball or a rolled up sock, then sit in your lap and start their purring motors as soon as they are warm enough. Altogether a delightful experience for all concerned. The best thing is, it is for a temporary period - we keep looking for suitable homes for them while they are safe and secure in a foster home. Try it sometime, you won't regret it at all.

The Adventures of Pixie

This sweet little dog is not as weak and timid as she looks. One memorable day, Pixie slipped under the gate at our IDA Deonar Centre and disappeared! This was a truly traumatic time for all concerned at IDA because this was a little dog who really appeared to be helpless and incapable of surviving even a day on the dangerous roads of Mumbai. Where would she go? What would she eat or drink? How would she escape being knocked down and run over by the heavy stream of traffic that thundered up and down the nearby highways and roads?
Many a quiet tear was shed and many prayers were whispered for Pixie's safety and return. We scoured the neighbourhood, told all nearby watchmen and urchins to look out for her. But Pixie could not be found. To make things worse, she had a lame leg, a bad skin infection around her eyes and covering her ears and a very weak constitution.
Two weeks passed and we were trying to reconcile ourselves to the fact that she was gone forever, when one evening I received an excited phone call. Pixie had been found! One of our exployees, Dipti, was in a rickshaw passing by the Diamond Garden in Chembur. She spotted a familiar looking 'pom' sitting on the opposite pavement. When she went to check, she found it was our dear Pixie, covered in grime and mud but apparently happy and healthy! She was picked up and rushed back to the Centre and effusively welcomed. In two weeks, Pixie had managed to travel about 5 to 6 kilometres away from the Centre and stay alive and well!
The adventure must have given Pixie's immune system a good boost. After this, her ears healed and the infection around her eyes almost disappeared. In fact, today, Pixie is bright-eyed and bushy- tailed - she has virtually turned into a miniature Alpha Dog at IDA.
Long ago this little dog was found abandoned on some road because she was lame and had a skin infection. Now she is one of the favourite dogs at IDA; this adventurous little pom we called Pixie.

Our Handsome Pintoc

This elegant dog is a three year old male. He's healthy and good-looking. The reason he is at our Centre is because he is one of our fourteen blind dogs. This doesn't matter much to Pintoc. He's alert and interested in all that's going on around him. He especially likes it when he has visitors! His head goes up and he tracks the sound of a familiar voice saying his name. Pintoc has a slight smile when he greets you and he really enjoys his head being rubbed! He's one of our sponsor dogs - we are sure he'll be among the most popular!

Meet the Foster Puppy and Kittens

The little pup in foster care is about one month old. About ten days ago, he was rescued from two kids, at the side of a main road full of traffic. The children were tossing him up and down like a little ball and there was no sign of his siblings or his mother.

He's safe and secure now. Has a very healthy appetite for Cerelac and his behaviour is impeccable. He doesn't cry or whine but sits quietly waiting for his next meal or lies in his basket fast asleep. He has a small cloth bunny, which is bigger than him, and plays 'attack' and 'pull the bunny about' for about 10 minutes after each meal. Only problem is, he wets a lot on the sheets of newspaper provided for 'going', but that's okay, he's just a baby.

The three little kittens are very fond of sleeping! They eat by themselves, can lap milk and eat solids and are very fastidious about going to the toilet. They have a little tray with soil which they use when required.

We always have a lot of these little ones at the IDA Centres and the best thing for their health and welfare is to get them temporarily into a foster home while we look for permanent homes for each one.

Kittens and Puppies in Foster Care

IDA always has a high turnover of tinies - kittens and pups who have lost their mothers. It is really difficult to give them the high quality care they require at the Centre, so we try to find them foster homes for a short period of time - maybe one or two weeks. During that time, we try to find suitable homes for them. If we don't, they go back to the shelter when they are a little bigger and stronger.

At present IDA member Celine is looking after a small weak little pup - very delicate and sweet, Lina is looking after two of our small kittens and I myself have one very small pup. Its not difficult. In fact it's quite a pleasure to take care of them even if it's for a short time - they are given a chance of staying alive.

Anyone interested in this enjoyable work, please contact me on 9320056581. Next post - pics of the smallies in foster care.

Rains Welcomed at IDA Deonar

We've had to suffer the heat for so long in Mumbai, that it was just great when we received a few showers of rain during the last few days. The sudden cooling down had a wonderful effect on the dogs and cats at IDA, some of the former were actually relaxing in the open, enjoying the falling rain!!
Bruno, one of the largest dogs and also one of the youngest (he's about 2), ran up and down as if he was practising for a football match and kept nipping and encouraging the other youngsters to play with him.
Glad it's cooled down. Our little ones in the puppy pen were so hot, their bodies were almost fevere-like to the touch and they had to be fed ice-cream now and then to cool them down.

A Sad Goodbye to our Gajya and Snowy

Very sad news. We lost our two precious Sponsor dogs, Gajya and Snowy who passed away within a few days of each other. Both were quite old and had been at the Centre for many years. That's why many of us at IDA were terribly upset at the loss of these dear souls. Gajya was so quiet and sweet natured, everytime he caught someone's eye, he would smile shyly. Snowy on the other hand was quite a crosspatch, but we love the grumbly ones also. No distinctions at IDA and Snowy had been abandoned years before. He had every right to be grumbly. Both are laid to rest in the back area of IDA with saplings to mark the spot.
Goodbye Gajya, Goodbye Snowy. We love you and will always miss you.

Bathtime for Tippi

In this terrible heat, all the dogs would love to have a bath. We can only manage to bathe about two at a time, maybe along with one or two small pups. Here's Tippi, after his bath, getting a good rubdown by our young volunteer at IDA Deonar.
The lower picture shows another sweet little longtime Deonar resident Pixie. Read all about her adventures, soon to be posted on this site.