Set up by Rohini Fernandes, 27, and Radhika Nair, 26, the Animal Angels Foundation deploys the therapeutic ability of animals to help cure people.
How did you think of starting Animal Angels Foundation?
I had to work in the psychiatric wards of various hospitals as part of my M.A. fieldwork. The moment I would start talking about animals, the patients would become more relaxed and talkative. This is when I first thought about working with animals to help cure people. I conducted some research and found that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) was a new and barren field in India. So I decided to start an organisation to help provide these services.
When did you set it up?
In 2004, I bought a golden retriever puppy, named her ‘Angel' and trained her as a therapy dog. I started the Animal Angels Foundation in January 2005, naming the organisation after her. I met Radhika a few months after I started work and we have been running the foundation together for the past four years. We have also done a one-year course from the University of North Texas and from Delta Society, USA, and are certified practitioners of AAT now.
How much investment was required initially?
To begin with, we didn't have any capital and our parents helped us out with the basic finances of the foundation. Most people did not want to fund us because they did not want to put their money in a concept that they had not heard of.
How many trained animals do you have at present?
We have about 20 dogs and one cat in Mumbai, all of whom have been specially trained. We also use fish as a medium of therapy for children.
Who are your chief clients?
Our main work is with schools and NGOs. We work with children, adults and senior citizens across eight different institutes. We also take up private cases occasionally.
What are the charges for your therapy sessions?
The price range starts from Rs 500 for individual sessions. Our turnover for 2007-8 was about Rs 4 lakh, the bulk of which was used for the care of animals and for transporting them. We are waiting to break even.
What about your future plans?
We want to increase our staff strength so that we can expand our services to other cities beyond Mumbai. Hospitals are next on our list of prospective clients as we are keen to work with the patients who are recovering from surgery. We are also looking for funding and have been busy holdings talks with various companies.
- As told by Rohini Fernandes to Namrata Dadwal
