"Grow through what you go through. RESQ was founded in 2007 to provide emergency aid to animals in distress. Since then, the rescue and rehabilitation work of the organisation has provided aid to thousands of animals of over 200+ species, improved public health and safety outcomes and actively worked on preventing human-animal conflict across urban and rural ecosystems.
As I reflect on the 15 years that flew by, and deeply introspect the work RESQ has done, I feel an overwhelming wave pass over me followed by a deep sense of calm. We have evolved and always adapted to the rapidly changing needs of the environment around us. As an annual exercise, whenever I have assessed our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it has helped me plan - for the animal lives we touch, for the community that surrounds them, and for the RESQ teams who work day and night towards the cause.
Every time we have embraced change, it has been an outcome of mindful deliberation. Sometimes the changes have been a result of our work successfully filling the gap in the needs of the environment around us, sometimes it has been in response to realisation that our efforts are futile unless reforms in policy and its implementation is pursued with determination. Today, we work on the frontlines, at the grassroots level with animals and the communities that surround them, because I believe we cannot protect or help animals if we cannot influence the sensitization and awareness levels of the people who share their spaces with them.
Maharashtra is home to a diverse population of wild animals, many of whom are key species identified to be globally declining. In 2017, when scores of wild animals began getting affected exponentially in and around western Maharashtra due to rapid development and shifts in agriculture patterns, that's who we went on to help. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation are wildlife management tools that when used effectively can not only help support the efforts toward conservation of biodiversity but also provide the much-needed support to injured, sick, orphan, and trafficked wildlife with the goal of reintroducing them to their natural habitats.
Using a multidisciplinary approach linking people, animals and the environment, our social impact objectives are powered by a team of 60+ employees. Together, we work towards the organisation’s vision of conservation and coexistence between wildlife, communities and their animals through our response and prevention activities. Annually, the work done by RESQ impacts over 10,000+ animal lives directly by providing emergency animal rescue, medical aid, and rehabilitation care. Additionally, our outreach and education efforts allow us to connect with communities, urban and rural, and we believe our proactive efforts of preventing humans and animals coming into conflict protect thousands of animals in their habitats, in human-dominated landscapes.
Proudly, today RESQ is authorised by the Government of Maharashtra to conduct state-wide wildlife rescue and run a Wildlife Transit Treatment Centre in Pune in association with the Maharashtra Forest Department to provide veterinary aid and rehabilitation for injured, orphaned and trafficked wildlife. To support our theory of change, we dedicatedly conduct community education initiatives and capacity-building programs to raise animal rescue and wildlife management standards, and actively contribute our expertise towards bridging the gaps between public policy and its implementation in India.
Times change, people and situations change, the only thing constant is change… and because change is constant, we also ensure that our ability to evolve with change is constant - to be able to continue to work and make a difference. It's been over 15 years of RESQ helping animals, people and the place we call home - a long and enriching journey so far, but one whose path we relentlessly continue to walk on and from the looks of it, there is no stopping or turning back!"
With joy, love and determination,
Neha Panchamiya
Founder & President, RESQ