SASS: Street Animals of Sarnath Services

My name is Anu and I am part of a circle of animal friends in Sarnath, India. SASS stands for ‘Street Animals of Sarnath Services’. - we provide free vet care and adoption services as well as sponsor education for children of families that adopt an animal. The connexion between animals and humans is a timeless one - we are all part of a sacred web of life. Perhaps its really a matter of our hearts and minds and of finding a way to become present to a situation - no matter how dismal or difficult it might seem at first!
When I first came to Sarnath from the US, I was a bit surprised to find so many stray dogs on the streets. It was also evident that there was no animal shelter around. However, there was an animal hospital and the vet was irrespressibly friendly! Together, we began to vaccinate street dogs and then to find homes for them. Surprisingly, this turned out easier than expected - once the reasonable concerns over vaccinations and safety were dealt with. It was obvious that people did care for the animals but had few means to develop their concern. A critical link between animals and humans seemed to be children - kids being kids - were naturals in the art of loving... So, SASS became a way of providing free education to kids of families that adopted a stray.
At present, there are thirteen families involved in the circle of care, twenty kids recieving education at the Universal School, and eighteen animal adoptions this year. Even more remarkable, there seems to have occurred a shift in attitude towards street dogs. Folks are less likely to toss a stone or to hurt an animal... Local tea stall clients seem more able to share food and milk with them... These may seem to be small changes but perhaps they are a beginning and an indication. For the heart is a mystery and we know that nothing is impossible there!