The Urban Animal Project: Dog Shelter B Roll (Cam 1)
Director: Nisha Vasudevan
Duration: 00:12:11; Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1; Hue: 120.329; Saturation: 0.044; Lightness: 0.453; Volume: 0.200; Cuts per Minute: 8.118
Summary: Cities are not “natural habitats”. However, over the years cities have become the spaces in which many animals have evolved; they are now the homes on which they have imprinted. The Urban Animal Project aims to document these species against the backdrop of a cityscape.
This is a work-in-progress which will be conducted in many phases, the first of which looks at land mammals in the city of Mumbai. Phase I delves into the reasons these animals are present in such a physical environment as opposed to existing in the wild. At the same time, it investigates what provisions are available for them and whether or not they are implemented. These laws are looked into with reference and from the point of view of municipal bodies, non-profit organisations, veterinary practice and the current curriculum, the meat and dairy industries, beasts of burden, animal trade and the role of superstition, among others.
Over time, The Urban Animal Project is expected to expand into marine life, protected areas within cities, birds, monsoon ecosystems and hopefully many other areas.
This set of clips have been shot at the animal hospital and make up our B Roll footage of the Dog Shelter.
Currently being worked on by Namaah Kumar, Reema Sengupta, Falak Mulchandani and Nisha Vasudevan. Each phase of The Urban Animal Project will be edited into short documentaries.
Dog Shelter
Mumbai
Parel
Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals
The dogs are very excitable. As soon as you enter each of them barks as loud as possible, fighting to get your attention. In a sense, dogs should be sent back to where they were rescued from after they are treated. They are walked and fed and showered with love but one wonders if they are truly fulfilled.
The dogs are bathed twice in a fortnight.
Their enthusiastic tail-wagging is infectious.
"We are the ones who take care of the dogs, from cleaning their wounds and changing their dressing to feeding and bathing," says the handler. When asked about Rex, he says, "Max right? No wait, this one or the one behind him...?" and becomes too shy to speak. About Sheru he says, "We take care of him here." He was there when Sheru was brought in after 26/11. "He was brought in front of me. I don't remember the details. They took him to the operation theatre and removed the bullet by surgery."
We met several volunteers. They are imperative to the functioning of the hospital, they help with walking the animals and also with funding. We speak to Vasudha Samant here.
The hospital is funded by a charitable trust, and functions entirely on this money. Donations are very important. Volunteers ease the burden of salary payment in a larger sense, while helping provide each animal with individual.
At this point our mics started malfunctioning, so apologies for the audio.
This is a breeder. He tells us how he often adopts animals from the shelter. Most breeders are inclined towards pedigree dogs but this one seemed comfortable with mixed breeds as well.
Another volunteer talks about his work and dog training. Audio is lost, apologies.
This footage is of little use without the audio.
This is Rocky. He plays in a band, but volunteers at the hospital almost everyday.
He walks this dog everyday and has developed a strong relationship with him. The dog was abandoned and now lives in this shelter.
The dog was abandoned by its previous owner because of the slight deformity on its left front paw.
This reflects on the attitude of many breeders and owners, who only prefer to have the fittest dogs of best pedigree.
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