Noida: In Noida’s Sector 93-A, the sky is a clear sheet of blue, no longer affected by the Supertech twin towers that were demolished on August 28. But it is business as usual for the stray dogs of the area. They are now ‘home’ safe and sound after being evacuated for a few days before the towers were brought down.
Due to the quick thinking of 18-year-old Sania Verma, more than 45 stray animals were rescued before the massive demolition took place. She mobilized animal activists and organizations into action and recorded the evacuation process.
While dramatic videos of Supertech Twin Towers clumping like a pack of cards in a cloud of dust went viral on social media, another video was going viral on Instagram as well. It was full of four-legged residents of the area – the stray dogs of Noida. Verma’s rescue operation caught the attention of animal lovers across India. Her video clip, which she uploaded on her Instagram handle, is called strong little clawsHas garnered over 12 million views and nearly 783,000 likes.
“Every dog has its own story, just like every human. With every dog I have rescued, I have learned something new,” says Verma.
Dogs show no signs of trauma. On a normal sunny afternoon in Sector-93, they can be seen taking shelter under cars and seeking relief in the shade thrown by nearby buildings and trees.
Read also: ‘Dry Fruits and Paan Money’ is Here—NCR Condos Have a New Rich Vs Old Rich Problem
preparation in advance
The demolition of Supertech towers was earlier scheduled for April this year, and when Sania Verma heard about the news, she first thought of the family of stray dogs living in her sector. She began working on an elaborate plan—from finding a shelter for the dogs where she could board them and looking for volunteers to help save the animals. She often refers to dogs as her “children” and “children.”
“I had been taking care of these dogs for two years. Of course, when the demolition was announced, I had to protect them,” says Verma. She reached out to Pooja Sethi, a fellow animal activist in Noida who, in turn, connected her with various animal rights NGOs. “It also helped me get better coordination throughout the operation,” says Verma. Although the demolition was postponed until August, Verma was ready.
,I believe it is the best thing for the community when the younger generation gets involved in animal rescue work. When Sania told me about her idea, I immediately associated her with Friendiko’s SECA and Care Foundation, which I have been working with for years,” says Sethi, 40, an animal activist in Noida.
Ten days before the demolition was scheduled, Verma reached out to several rescue groups and volunteers, including Friendiko’s SECA, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Veda House (run by Syed Saif Ahmed and Deepali Pandey) as well as Kamna Are included. Gupta and Nishant Muraleedharan who together run an initiative’Apofive, Everyone answered the call frankly.
Verma had planned the operation with the precision of an army general.
“On the first day (August 25) when around 10 to 12 volunteers came, I was very relieved. He literally halved all the work that needed to be done,” says Verma.
Over three days between August 25 and 27, Verma along with 10 to 15 volunteers rescued 45 dogs. Volunteers captured the animals and then photographed the areas they were rescued from to ensure that the dogs were not moved by accident after the demolition.
“Dogs are very territorial animals. Therefore, it was very important that we return them to where they were raised. With every stray we rescued, we took a video of their surroundings with a detailed description of the dog so that to ensure that they are safely back in their homes,” says Kamna Gupta, Co-Founder Apofive,
All the dogs were kept in the dog shelter of Ved House, barely 10 minutes away from the towers. Verma had initially planned to bear the financial cost of the withdrawal process. When Veda House offered to keep all the animals free of cost, she heaved a sigh of relief.
“It was a huge help to the mission. Keeping them in other government dog shelters would mean that I would have to keep my healthy dogs in unhygienic conditions, often with other sick dogs that could be potentially harmful to them,” Animal rescuers say.
Friendiko’s SECA also supported Verma’s mission by providing four vans and professional dog catchers. SPCA under Dhyan Foundation also sent volunteers for this operation.
Two days after the successful demolition of the Supertech twin towers, all 45 dogs were returned to their respective areas. Not one was injured or injured.
“We walked the dogs around to make sure they were attuned to their surroundings. In the end, it was all worth it to see the strays healthy and happy to be back home,” says Gupta.
Read also: ‘Demolition successful, will teach a lesson to corrupt officials’ – spectators at Supertech Towers
gender bias, politics edge thorn
Sania Verma, who wants to pursue English and psychology in her higher studies, has been taking care of dogs in Sector 93 for the past two years since the start of the pandemic. While she hopes to one day open her own care home for old and blind dogs, she is also pragmatic about the many challenges faced in the animal welfare community.
“Being a young woman in an animal welfare community is extremely difficult. From facing harassment in the neighborhood to dealing with inappropriate comments from lousy men and a lack of support from within the community, keep working and working for the cause. It often seems impossible to fight for it. There is a very clear gender bias in the animal welfare community,” Verma said.
This gender bias also affected the rescue operation. “I was not allowed to check the dogs and cats that might be hiding inside the tower despite waiting for five hours at the Noida authorities’ office. He cited security concerns. However, the very next day, Sanjay Mohapatra, a 50-year-old animal rescuer, was allowed to go inside the buildings and take videos while rescuing the animals. When it comes to animal welfare, officials often take men seriously,” laments Verma.
She is also navigating politics within the animal welfare community. “There are many who just want limelight without doing any work. I have always told Sania to focus on work. Ultimately people may not know our names, but they do recognize our work for the voiceless,” said Pooja Sethi.
Despite these obstacles, Verma has established himself as a recognized animal rescuer in the area. Verma says, “Though I have had to fight with many people from family members to officials and neighbours, but now I am in a position when they do not question me and respect me for my efforts.”
Her extended family of dogs isn’t complaining either.
(Edited by Likes)