The Power Of Love In A Pandemic

How one animal charity in Rajasthan has got through a rollercoaster year

- Jo Carnegie

Running an animal charity is hard work at the best of times. Throw in a global pandemic and the Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) charity in Rajasthan found itself facing a whole new level of challenge.

TOLFA is a busy veterinary hospital and animal shelter based near the city of Ajmer and the holy town of Pushkar. It rests in a rural location between the two places, enjoying a beautiful position among the ancient Aravalli hills. Dedicated to the rescue and care of street animals, TOLFA also runs a rabies and sterilization project, a free clinic for working animals of the rural poor, education programmes, and a pet owner clinic. Donations from owners help to fund the low income/ownerless animal projects. The clinic is well regarded for its high level of quality and care, and it has been known for owners to bring their pets from 50–80kms away. The hospital can have up to six hundred animals under its care at any one time. TOLFA’s rescue ambulance is on the road day and night, answering calls from the public about sick and injured animals.

At the start of 2020, the charity was still recovering from an extremely testing couple of years. Two horrendous monsoons had seen parts of the hospital submerged under water, facilities and equipment damaged, and TOLFA’s life-saving services affected. Then in March came COVID 19. International travel stopped and a national lockdown in India shortly followed...

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