Kerala is among the 19 states from where animal welfare organizations will join hands with Vantara initiative named Champions of Care, which is designed to strengthen community animal welfare through practical, sustainable, and collaborative solutions.

Launched on the occasion of World Animal Day by Reliance Industries Executive Director Anant M Ambani, Champions of Care aims to bring together more than 50 animal welfare organizations alongside senior members of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to support 2 million animals nationwide every year.

Representing major urban centers and districts across the state, Kerala-based groups including PAW Kannur (Kannur), PAWS Thrissur (Thrissur), WEFAA (Thrissur), People for Animals (Kollam), and People for Animals (Thiruvananthapuram) joined delegates from across India in Jamnagar.

Together with over 50 organizations nationwide, they signed a formal Letter of Understanding with Vantara to establish a unified framework for joint problem-solving, capability building, and resource sharing.

What the initiative seeks to achieve

At its core, Champions of Care is built on the recognition that every community animal deserves care, protection, and dignity. The initiative extends Vantara’s philosophy of 'Every Life Matters' to frontline caregivers nationwide.

It encompasses street dogs and cats requiring medical treatment, feeding, shelter, and responsible population control through animal birth control programs.

Additionally, it supports abandoned animals and working livestock such as cattle, donkeys, and horses, as well as injured or neglected animals requiring emergency intervention and long-term care.

How the initiative will work

Rather than providing short-term financial relief, Champions of Care addresses ground-level challenges by building long-term organizational capacity and resilience.

The alliance connects organizations across diverse regions, spanning from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Goa in the south to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the north. The signed Letter of Understanding provides a structured framework for joint problem-solving, capability building, and resource sharing shaped by the ground-level needs of local animal caregivers.

To build self-sustaining facilities and lower ongoing operational costs, Vantara is supporting critical infrastructure upgrades for local shelters. This support includes installing solar power systems, implementing rainwater harvesting, and upgrading drainage systems to create more resilient facilities.

Furthermore, the initiative funds modern animal housing as well as quarantine and disease management infrastructure in response to the growing prevalence of infectious animal diseases.

To strengthen field rescue operations and veterinary care, the initiative provides ambulances and mobile service units for rapid emergency response. Participating organizations will also receive advanced diagnostic instruments, specialized rescue tools, and resources dedicated to providing lifelong care for permanently injured or elderly animals.

The initiative introduces structured training and capacity-building programs for animal care workers to raise clinical and operational standards across the country. In addition, several participating organizations will implement community education and awareness programs targeting children and young people to foster empathy and responsible animal caretaking.

The national announcement followed an immersive two-day gathering at Vantara, where delegates spent the first day touring specialized care centers for rescued elephants, big cats, and naturalistic habitats for free-roaming herbivores.

Highlighting the spirit behind the effort, Anant emphasized standing beside unsung grassroots caretakers who quietly serve animals every day with immense compassion.

"Every day, there are countless people who quietly care for animals in need, often with limited resources and little recognition, but with immense compassion... Through Champions of Care, we hope to stand alongside this work, strengthen the care available to community animals and help build a more compassionate India," he said.

Former AWBI Chairman and current member SP Gupta commended the vision, noting that Anant's personal effort to listen to ground-level challenges and respond with advanced technology and practical solutions marks a major milestone for community animal welfare across India.