Editorial Note: This is part of a series that profiles the recipients of Lady Freethinker’s Urgent Need Fund 2025 grant program. The program was created to support nonprofit organizations involved in animal rescue and care, as well as those that promote better animal treatment. If you’re interested in learning more about the program, click here.
In Jaipur, India, Help in Suffering (HIS) is getting a new animal ambulance — made possible by a $10,000 Urgent Need Fund grant from Lady Freethinker — that will allow the organization to sterilize and vaccinate street dogs in rural communities with large stray dog populations and nearly nonexistent access to veterinary care.
Street dog rescued from Jaipur who receives regular care from HIS for mange and wounds (Lady Freethinker)
“What Lady Freethinker supporters should know is that this grant isn’t just buying a vehicle, it’s helping in breaking that cycle for thousands of dogs who would otherwise never receive care,” HIS Managing Trustee Timmie Kumar told LFT.
This fantastic charity operates a shelter and veterinary facilities for companion, farmed, and wild animals; manages a Camel Rescue Center; facilitates animal adoptions; and brings humane education programs to local schools. It also provides rescue services and has a nationally acclaimed Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) program.
Injured cows rescued from Jaipur receiving veterinary care at HIS (L); Nilgai who was brought to HIS for treatment of wounds (R) (Lady Freethinker)
With Lady Freethinker’s support, the organization is adding a custom-built dog-catching ambulance to expand its ABC and ARV program in Bassi and 75 surrounding villages — an underserved area 35 kilometers from Jaipur.
The team plans to capture dogs using low-stress methods, sterilize and vaccinate them, provide each dog with 3–5 days of supervised postoperative recovery, return them to their locations, track them, and encourage responsible animal care practices in the communities.
Horse receiving care for wounds, broken ribs, and injuries (Lady Freethinker)
HIS projects that, in the first year, it will sterilize and vaccinate 1,000–1,200 dogs and administer more than 2,000 additional rabies vaccinations to unsterilized dogs in the region.
“Every dog we sterilize prevents hundreds of future births into suffering,” Kumar said. “Every rabies vaccination protects not just that dog, but entire communities, both human and animal.”
Love, found with a horrific eye injury before receiving care (L); Dona, found with a deep, maggot-filled wound — now healthy (R) (Lady Freethinker)
One heartwarming example of the ABC and ARV program in action is when HIS rescued Champa, a homeless dog who had given birth to six puppies next to a dumpster. Emaciated and infected, and with her puppies nearly starving, Champa and her litter were brought to the shelter, where she received treatment, vaccinations, and sterilization before being returned to her area.
Without intervention, Champa likely would have continued giving birth in perilous conditions, with most puppies unlikely to survive.
Jasper, who was hit by a car before receiving life-saving medical care from HIS (Lady Freethinker)
Thanks to supporters like you, Lady Freethinker can back lifesaving efforts like HIS’s ABC and ARV program, giving dogs like Champa the care and safety they deserve while preventing future suffering. Your compassion makes it possible for us to build a safer, kinder world for animals across the globe.
