“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” –Anatole France.
The iconic Taj Samudra, Colombo known for many groundbreaking initiatives, teamed up with Rescue Animals Sri Lanka (RAS) founded by Anusha David, one of Sri Lanka’s well-known animal welfare activists, by donating pet food to feed the street dogs whom RAS have been taking care of for 40+ years now.
The initiative, which was spearheaded by Area Director Taj Maldives & Sri Lanka Samrat Datta, resulted in a sizable team from the Taj Samudra visiting RAS and spending time with some of the animals. Director HR Jayantha Tillakaratne, Learning and Development Manager Dr Shweta Chandra, Associate Director PR Onitha Gurugalla and several others were present.
RAS presently takes care of over 100 dogs and 40 + cats housed in Vidiyagoda, all of whom accident victims or abandoned by their owners, and were rescued from the streets. “We are also active in rescuing cattle, birds, and monkeys who are then rehomed in safe sanctuaries. We assist in elephant rescues and are involved in environmental conservation”, said Thiran Ranatunge of RAS. “RAS provides food in the form of chicken pet food and rice to people who love animals but do not have the financial means to feed them. We also assist them with their veterinary bills and organize sterilization programmes. It is our strong belief that this is of utmost importance in the reduction of the number of street animals, as well as being the most humane way to tackle the problem. We appeal to all animal lovers to contribute towards our work. This would go a long way, making the world of difference to a sad, hungry, sick, animal on the streets of Sri Lanka”.
Taj stands in solidarity with its belief that all animals, regardless of size or species, have intrinsic value and deserve to be respected and protected. Keeping this in mind, the brand has long been an advocate for animal welfare and is committed to the preservation of the environment and its creatures. As per Mr. Datta ”Our service philosophy aka ’Tajness’ is all about sincere care and personal touch. Through this endeavour our team has taken it beyond the premises of the hotel to this home of rescue animals. It will be delightful to see more and more people and organizations coming up with their support for such causes.”
Photo caption: Anusha and Thiran of RAS with Julius who is blind
