SPCA: Behind the scenes
Welcome To CitySpidey

Location

SPCA: Behind the scenes

Here's all you need to know about SPCA, the rehabilitation centre, healthcare clinic and shelter for abused animals.

SPCA: Behind the scenes

You might be startled at first. After all, it’s not every day that you get to hear a loud chorus of woofs, moos, neighs and the occasional hee-haw!

This is how the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Noida, welcomes you.

SPCA provides facilities like animal rehabilitation, birth control operations and vaccination of stray dogs. The hospital cum shelter caters to the needs of abandoned, sick, injured, stray, as well as pet animals.

Established by the UP state government and registered in November 2000, the body is also recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India. Noida Authority has allocated a monthly sum of Rs 5 lakhs for SPCA. The main team consists of a couple of visiting vets, the shelter in-charge Vidhi Shukla, and the treatment assistant Vinit Arora.

In fact, the 9-acre compound in Sector 94 has a 60-strong team for the upkeep of its residents: A variety of dogs (mostly strays), feral cats, horses, cows, donkeys, pigeons and even hawks. Most of these animals were abused sometime in their lives.

It’s hard to miss the SPCA compound in the midst of snazzy MNC office buildings. A heady cocktail of medicinal odours emanating from the compound and its nondescript village dispensary look evoke the feel of a solemn government hospital.

Inside, it’s a different scene altogether. It’s a party in here with a dozen playful canines frolicking, horses trotting around in glee and donkeys practicing their scales. It is uplifting to see once-abused animals feeling completely at home here. Stand at the gates anytime of the day, and you can witness scores of animals being brought to the facility.

"There’s too much work and too few doers. We need more volunteers," says Vidhi Shukla, effortlessly juggling our conversation and directing her staff.

What's awesome about SPCA is that the staff consider this their dream job. Even the gatekeeper and the drivers are avid animal lovers and enthusiastic about saving lives.

The flipside of the coin are the numerous obstacles in SPCA’s path. The group is plagued by people's lack of awareness about animal behaviour, shortage of funds and dire need of manpower.

But challenges hardly deter SPCA. For the record, they took in a whopping 4,252 animals in 2015 alone.