Nilesh Bhanage - Founder PAWS

Plant & Animals Welfare Society - PAWS
Helping Animals in Distress !

Registration No: Maha/587/2001- Thane

Vision: We want to create a life which causes no creatures of the land, sea & air, to terror, torture and death.

Services:

Ambulance service for distressed animals
Spot First Aid
Veterinary Treatment
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
Awareness & Education
Legal Cases on Cruelty to animals
Tree Plantation & Cases related to cutting of trees

Programs:

Continuous programs & CD shows to School Children, college students
70 students per batch

History:

How I started PAWS!
(The Plant and Animal Welfare Society)
By Nilesh Bhanage, (written at the age of 22, now 27)

When I was 18 years old and flying a kite on my terrace, I found a completely blind pigeon with crows attacking him. I immediately shooed the crows and took the pigeon to my flat (apartment). My younger brother gave him water, and he drank it very quickly.

At that time I knew that there was a veterinarian, but I didn't know how to get him to treat the pigeon. Then my cousin told me to go see this one girl who treats animals. She immediately took the pigeon and treated him with homeopathic medicine.

In her house I found parrots, dogs, a guinea pig, and a tortoise. When I asked her about the animals, she said that she was a government Animal Welfare Officer, and all these animals/birds were stray or rescued from sellers and under rehabilitation. She was also a member of a nature club, and it was through this club that she did the rescue work!

That was the day in my life when my thinking about animals changed. She taught me that animals and birds cannot speak for themselves, and we only have to feel their pain. She told me that if you learn to treat animals or free a bird from a cage, you will be blessed by God, and you can see the happy faces of those honest animals. Then I started feeding dogs and started training under her to treat wounded dogs and cats. I decided to start PAWS.

It has taken two years to learn how to treat animals, then where to admit cattle, and where all the hospitals and shelters are located. But I contacted other volunteers and got PAWS registered. Meanwhile, I became an honorary Animal Welfare Officer with the Animal Welfare Board of the government of India.

After registration of PAWS, I built a small pigeon shelter (because the pigeon I first took in had died). Then our veterinarian, Dr. Hukkeri, who had started treating our animals free of cost and gave us space in his bunglow to use as an animal clinic, helped us to set up the clinic and fill it with medicines. Now our members/volunteers bring animals for treatment, and we treat them free of cost.

Then the SPCA of Ahmednagar gave us a special gift--a van! We modified it and started the Animal Ambulance service.

Now people recognize me and my work. By email or phone request, people gives us donations, too, but my end aim is to start a full-fledged animal hospital. We are searching for land for that now, and I hope my dream will come into existence very soon. Please pray to God for this!

Donation to the noble cause of Jeevdaya are exempted under section 80G of Income Tax Act, 1961.

Rescue work carried out during floods in Mumbai on July 26, 2005

Aug 1, 2005
PAWS - Plant & Animals Welfare Society is doing the Relief Work since past 6 days after the Heavy Floods in Mumbai. 
PAWS Team comprising Ms. Sonali, Mr. Shiv Prasad, Mr. Vishal, and Mr. Nilesh along with Representative of Midlife Foundation & Rakhee Jain Group.
PAWS Provided Fodder & Vegetables to Buffalos affected. PAWS are also on regular rounds to help injured calves & buffaloes. Also helping affected people by providing Food, Water & Clothes, and Medicines.
Enclosed are the Photos of Rescue & Relief works (image 1, images 2, images 3, images 4, images 5) 
Nilesh Bhanage
Hony. Gen. Secretary & Founder Trustee
PAWS
(PAWS is Non-Profit, Charitable registered charity which is Affiliated with RSCPA, UK and member Society of WSPA, UK and recognized by Animal Welfare Board Chennai)

Achievements:

Started Thane district's first ambulance service for Animals
Successful involvement of young people
Closing down illegal bird market in Kalyan
Stopping Snake Charming & Parrot Astrology in Thane district
Rescuing Lions & Tigers from Circus
Flood Relief Work in July 2005

Financials:
Yearly Budget Rs. 2 to 4 Lakh
Revenue Sources: Donations + AWBI Grant
Corporates can adopt us at yearly sponsorship.

Contact Details
PAWS
A-14, Savitri Sadan
Dr. Mukharji Road
Dombivli (East) 421201
Karmayogi: Mr. Nilesh Bhanage Phone: 0-9820161114

Email :NileshBhanage@asbi.co.in