Blue Cross to raise $10,000 via global portal

CHENNAI: While it may be the season of giving, this year, animal lovers nation-wide may want to take this spirit a little beyond gifts under the Christmas tree. Chennai's pride, when it comes to animal welfare, The Blue Cross of India (BCI) has joined the fray to win a fund-raising challenge run by global.giving.org, an internationally recognized platform for philanthropy that connects donors to good causes. Sathya Radhakrishnan, Joint Secretary of the BCI says, “Our challenge is to raise $10,000 through 50 donors by December 31 and we are confident that we will pull through.” He adds, “Once this is done, we will receive funds to neuter 500 stray dogs and cats in and around the city.” The Blue Cross is one among three other animal welfare groups in the country to enrol for this challenge and volunteers claim that the message is already doing the rounds on their website and Facebook page. Sudhersena Alla Sundaram, Project Manager and volunteer, reveals, "I first heard about this concept through an NGO in Chennai that I was working with." She adds, "So far, we have received donations of $1,012 and some have been from donors as far away as the US and the UK, apart from friends and families." The Blue Cross will also be eligible for a permanent spot on the Globalgiving's website if they manage to raise $4000 through 50 unique donors during the competition. Although, for most pet owners the cost of spaying a dog or cat at a shelter is restricted to sometimes a bare minimum of Rs 250, Sathya reveals that the practical costs do add up to much higher. He explains, “The neutering process includes everything from the operation and anti-rabies injections to housing the animal for a few nights of recovery and often, even a pick up and drop.” And sums up, “So a total of Rs 1000 per animal. Sadly, the government quota for neutering is a minimal Rs 445.” So, animal lovers and haters alike can look forward to large scale doggie birth control in 2012. (For information, contact Sudhersena at 9381050221 or 9789096602 or bluecrossofindia.org)