Animal welfare activist keen to find safe haven

KOLLAM: The saviour of stray animals is facing eviction from his dingy lodge room, which provided shelter to many a wounded animal. The winner of Animal Husbandry Department’s Best Animal Welfare Activist award, K Bapputti is now in a piquant situation, as he has been asked to vacate the three-room lodge at Mundakkal near here by the present owners.For the 47-year-old bachelor who has dedicated his life for the welfare of abandoned animals, it’s the thought of animals under his care that disturbs him. “I have no problem to vacate the room. I can manage myself. But where shall I provide a sanctuary to these animals which depends on me,’’ he asks.It was eight years ago that a kindred soul named Jagadeesan invited Bapputti, who was then forced to vacate rooms where he provided shelter to animals, to the lodge.“He allowed me to keep animals in the rooms. But after his death a year ago, I have been asked by his relatives to vacate,’’ Bapputti said.  He continues to live in the room on the basis of a temporary injunction order obtained from a district court. Bapputti says that he had asked them to allow him time to find an alternative place, but was forced to move court with the plea.He currently provides shelter for 4 dogs, 15 cats, a kite and a mongoose in his room. He also have entrusted with some well wishers many injured dogs, which he rescued, treated and returned to normal life. He makes it a point to provide a meal for around 40 dogs every day.Bapputti, a driver by profession, has been rendered jobless as he cannot afford to complete the re-registration formalities of his old taxi car. He occasionally works as a driver for some well-wishers in the city. Meanwhile, the project to set up a shelter for injured and abandoned dogs at Kottiyam by the Animal Husbandry Department had faced hurdles following protests from the  panchayat and the local MLA.Bapputti had pitched his hopes on the shelter and had expected that he would be able to provide refuge to all the animals he rescued from the streets.Director of Animal Husbandry Department Vijayakumar told Express that the project, the first of its kind in the state, was inspired by the services rendered by Bapputti. ‘’We are on the lookout for land in other places to get the project going.  The fund has already been allotted to the District Panchayat for the purpose,’’ he said.For Bapputti, who claims to have rescued over 150 stray dogs and other animals over the past 14 years, a shelter for abandoned animals in the district is a dream. He has no worry over him going homeless and is busy knocking at all doors for a sanctuary for the neglected lot.