History of our Organisation

Animal Rights Fund organization was set up in 1999 to collect funds to support other animal welfare organizations. We wanted to become the nodal agency and make sure that all animal causes got adequate fund, food and medicines from ARF. Over time, our involvement spread to include myriad activities relating to ensuring rights of animals rest is history.
In 2007 we switched to CNVR (Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release) technique from ABC. CNVR is humane, safe, simple, friendly and effective. Street dogs are released on the same day. As per the guidelines of Animal Welfare Board of India they are promoting ABC/CNVR program all over India. We have successfully opened many branches all over India with more than 100 employees working for the cause of animals.
ARF has been fighting legal battles for animals. In our first case we got a ban order for five animals in circus from the Supreme Court.
High court of Karnataka has given out the order of prohibition of camels in Karnataka.
Apart from these we have also won in 3 dog cases in High Court of Karnataka.
ARF has an Animal Helpline between 8 AM to 4 PM which treats sick and injured street animals. We also promote veganism, fight legal battles for animal causes.

Motivated by the incident to start ARF

This incident happened much before I (Dilip Bafna) started ARF. Twenty seven years back (1982), one bright morning while reading my newspaper I heard a crow’s cry, initially I didn’t notice but later when the cry got louder I threw my newspaper and peeped out to see a crow crying in vain to free itself. It was entangled in a thread (coated with glass powder - manja) of a kite on a coconut tree. I immediately ran out to find a person who could climb the coconut tree, offered him money to help me free the bird but he just refused, saying he was very busy. My sister had an idea—she called an Animal welfare NGO (Cartman) and they came after some time and rescued the crow. The joy of seeing the bird free triggered me to start working for animals and birds. This is how my journey for Animal Rights started.

Projects & Programs

Apart from running our day to day activities for rescuing and treating sick/injured street animals, ARF also runs following projects and programs:
1. Vaccination camps and free check up camps for large animals (cattle, horse etc) are held in rural areas of Hubli – Dharwad.
2. Awareness building and Educational programs on animal behaviour in rural areas (to be started shortly in Bangalore too).
3. Veganism promotion—ARF holds a vegan get together every month, presenting vegan ideals and followed by vegan food. Recipes of vegan dishes are featured every month in ARF’s newsletter.

Thoughts of ARF

Demand and supply are the key factors. Everything moves by the market impulse. According to us, the shelter concept is not a solution for animals, as we don’t believe in shelters. We are against shelters for cows (gow-shala)—in that case we can open pig-shale, goat-shale, chicken-shale, etc. The only solution is to open the eyes of people to the ‘Horrors of slaughter houses’ that is why we are also conducting Awareness programs to stop consuming dairy and using leather.

Shelter

As we said we don’t keep animals in our hospital/shelter. Once the animal gets well, we release them at their respective places. But yes, there are some animals like dogs, cats, cows, ox, etc, staying in our hospital as they are amputated, long healing cases, psychological case where they are completely depending on us to take care. There are around 25 of them.

Problems while running your organization

There are definitely ups and downs, good and bad times for any organization. First and foremost it has always been a difficult hunt to find motivated staff to work. Also, rescuing animals like camels, cattle, etc slated for slaughter created threat for the ARF team. Unfortunately, animal right laws in India are very porous and out-dated; it’s a big struggle to fight for animals.
Money (funds) is also one of our main problems. People are reluctant to give money to animal NGOs easily. We started with a small amount of about Rs. 5,000 and soon faced critical fund shortage. Many times we almost gave up, but my dreams were too big, we realised the importance of money so we concentrated on making our organization self sufficient and saved for the rainy day.

Message for all from ARF

Be kind to animals, birds and all other living beings and follow veganism—the emerging ideal of animal love.

Recent Past

ARF has done more than 1,00,000 ABC/ARVs (sterilizations/vaccinations) till date. Presently we are doing 5000 ABC/ARVs per month.

Our commitment to Work

We have worked under severe constraints regarding infrastructure. Recently we have taken 1 acre land on lease come rent basis. We have started from scratch and now we are functioning so so. We would request you to contribute your might for us to grow and flourish in the same tempo that we are.

Our Future

We intend to do 10,000 ABC/ARVs depending on fund inflow. We intend to promote Veganism as an ideal way of life. Our mission is to spread awareness among public to live harmoniously in nature with plants and animal.