Founded in 2009 by Rubaiya Ahmed, 
Obhoyaronno is the first (and to date the only) animal welfare charity in Bangladesh. As rabies is still rife in India dog culling is not uncommon, and the culling of her own dog inspired Rubaiya to set up the charity and advocate for animals in Bangladesh.
We caught up with Manita Swati to find out more.
What made you decide to become involved in Obhoyaronno?
– I have always been an avid animal lover and have worked with organizations such as WWF (World Wildlife Fund) however I was not aware of the widespread dog culling practiced in Bangladesh until I joined Obhoyaronno. Obhoyaronno is the only animal welfare organisation, not just in the main city of Dhaka, but also in all of Bangladesh! When I discovered the important work they were doing, my next thought was -advocacy! While many in Bangladesh know of Obhoyaronno, few in the western world have heard of them. We live in a very digital world, so advocating our cause through social media became a very important tool for us.
What does Obhoyaronno mean?
– Obhoyaronno is a Bengali word that closely translates to ‘Sanctuary’.
What are the organisation’s goals for the next 5 years?
– Since we began, the cause of animal welfare has witnessed a slow but steady growth in Bangladesh. We hope to continue this expansion in numerous ways:
- Establishing a second clinic in Dhaka to continue with our mass CNVR (Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release) program for street dogs;
- Introduce pet merchandises by partnering up with Jatra, a local Fair Trade franchise specialising in sustainably sourced fashion, lifestyle and arts and crafts products. This will enable the organisation to become more financially independent;
- Modernise the rather outdated Cruelty to Animals Act 1920 of Bangladesh by working with lawyers, legislators and the Government and infiltrate animal welfare awareness at the policy level of the country;
- Work with Bangladesh’s City Corporations to introduce similar programs across the country’s major cities.
What would you say was the organisation’s most significant achievement to date?
– While it is hard to pinpoint one specific achievement, there are few deserving mention:
- Secured Dhaka City Corporation’s commitment to end dog killing in Dhaka. Obhoyaronno signed an MOU with Dhaka City Corporation (North) and Dhaka City Corporation (South) to manage the city’s dog population on behalf of DCC;
b. Set up the country’s first CNVR clinic in Boshila, Mohammapur to sterilise, vaccinate and treat street dogs;
c. Secured partnerships with government and international development agencies;
d. Secured partnerships with local academies and schools to deliver humane education for children;
e. First Bangladeshi team of vets and paravets trained from India on modern sterilization and humane dog catching.
How is it funded?
We are funded largely through the Humane Society International and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Though we are also supported by Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) who practised dog culling before 2012. However through continuous advocacy programs and relentless activism, we managed to get them on board and partner with us to introduce a humane dog population management program. Conversely, a great bulk of our funds comes directly from individual patrons who donate both monetarily and in-kind to support our cause and activities.
If you could give one piece of advice to pet owners what would it be and why?
– It would be to adopt (not shop!) wisely and be reminded that pet ownership is a lifelong commitment that requires investment of time, resources and compassion. To consider pets as members of the family and be considerate of their needs, accordingly. Too often in Bangladesh, we see pet owners getting pets based on breed or “cuteness”, but abandoning them to fend for themselves once they get old, sick or difficult to care for. This is especially hard for foreign breeds that are not suited to the local environment and climate. Sadly, the fascination for foreign breeds as a fashion trend exists in our culture and this problem needs widespread attention. One should not discriminate when loving an animal. A local street dog deserves just as much love as a carpet dog!
What can the international community do to help support your efforts?
– While we primarily serve the function of a clinic, there is a common misconception out there that Obhoyaronno is a shelter and as such we often have to care for unwanted animals. As such our facilities are always full, our resources often exhausted and our staff overworked. This means that our supplies and finances can often get scarce. Hence, donations are always appreciated whether monetarily or in-kind. Currently, we are working to create an international donation channel online. Once that has been set up, we hope this will make things easier for both potential donors and ourselves.
Anything you would like to add?
You can find out more about the project by clicking here
