Q2Q3-2025
A Home Worth Fighting For: Kunnam & Me
My name is Kaaveri. I am a twelve-year-old cow, and I live at the Blue Cross of India’s large animal shelter in Kunnam a quiet village tucked in the Kanchipuram district, about 80 kilometres from the city. I have been here for six years, and I intend to stay forever. Or until the green grass they grow here or the hay runs out. (It never runs out. These people are very thorough.)
I arrived at Kunnam after being found on the highway outside Chengalpattu injured, exhausted, and apparently convinced I could outrun a truck. I could not. The BCI rescue team brought me here, where I have since been treated, nursed back to full health, and introduced to the finest company a cow could wish for: a one-eyed bull named Rajan, a perpetually anxious goat called Sundari, and approximately forty others who, like me, had nowhere else to go.
Kunnam is not just a shelter. It is a second world 3.5 acres of calm and green in a village where the pace of life suits us perfectly. BCI established this facility specifically for large animals: cows, bulls, horses, donkeys, and the occasional bewildered goat rescued from slaughter, accidents, or abandonment. The Chennai sanctuary simply does not have the space or infrastructure for more than a few of our size and we let those that need critical care stay there. Kunnam is capacious. And for years, it was home. Then came the rains.
The Storm and What Came After
The old sheds at Kunnam had served us well for many years, but age and monsoon after monsoon had taken their toll. Walls cracked. Roofs sagged. After one particularly heavy season, sections of the shelter became genuinely unsafe. The BCI team patched and repaired, but it was clear: we needed a full rebuild. That is when Jain Metals stepped in and everything changed.
The old sheds at Kunnam had served us well for many years, but age and monsoon after monsoon had taken their toll. Walls cracked. Roofs sagged. After one particularly heavy season, sections of the shelter became genuinely unsafe. The BCI team patched and repaired, but it was clear: we needed a full rebuild. That is when Jain Metals stepped in and everything changed.
Built with Intention, Built to Last
Jain Metals funded the complete reconstruction of the Kunnam shelter’s new sheds, reinforced flooring and ventilation designed specifically for large animals and flattening out the entire landscape that was so slushy during the monsoon, we couldn’t recognise each other when we crossed over to the other side for water.
The new structure is airy, dry even in the heaviest monsoon, and this is important as it does not rattle when the wind picks up. Rajan used to panic when the old roof rattled. He is much calmer now. We all are.
What Kunnam Means to Us
Every cow, bull and buffalo arrived broken in some way physically, or simply discarded when we were no longer useful to someone. BCI gave us Kunnam. Jain Metals gave us a home within it that is worthy of the name. There is fresh water. There is fodder. There is a vet who comes regularly and actually knows the difference between a cow who is unwell and a cow who is simply having opinions about the menu (it’s me; I am the one with opinions).
A Note of Gratitude
If you have ever driven past a cow on a highway and wondered where she might end up, the answer is Kunnam. It is not a famous place. It does not trend on Instagram. But for those of us who live here, it is the whole world. We are grateful to BCI for building it, and to Jain Metals for rebuilding it better, stronger, and dry enough even for a cow with strong opinions about rain.
I am Kaaveri. I am twelve years old, in excellent health, and I have never once regretted my decision to stay. (I did not have a choice. But I would have chosen this anyway.)
A slow, contented moo, 
Kaaveri
Resident, Kunnam Shelter since 2019
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Major Donors this quarter:
We gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions received from the our donors during the 2nd half of 2005 (ordered alphabetically) :
- Animal Aid Abroad Incorporated
- Anirudh AAPT Pvt Ltd
- Arham Yuva Seva Group
- Chal USA
- Ms. Erika Hedy Abrams-Myers
- Mr. John Abraham
- Ms. M Bargavi Devendra
- M M Forgings Limited
- Mr. Muthuraman P
- Mr. N. Ram
- Neon Laboratories Limited
- Nilpeter India Pvt Ltd
- Ms. Roshni Nadar Malhotra
- Salem Municipal Corporation
- Mr. Siva Singaram
- Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan
- The UK Online Giving Foundation
- TNQ Foundation
Your support enables us to continue our mission of promoting animal welfare and making a meaningful difference in the lives of animals in need. Thank you for your generosity and compassion.
Making a difference – One street animal at a time
The success of our key programs can largely be attributed to the generous contributions from our valued partners and sponsors. Their kindness and support enable us to continue our crucial work, making a lasting difference in the lives of street animals.
ABC Program |
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Animal Rescues |
RNBDG |
| Animal Health & Nutrition |
Shaswath Steels. TNQ Foundation |
The Blue Cross of India is dedicated to extending our services to reach more animals in distress, though limited resources restrict our capacity. Your involvement is essential to our cause, and we warmly encourage you to join us as a volunteer or donor through the links below.
Our life-saving work is strengthened through valued partnerships with sponsors like HCL Foundation and Firstsource. Their support empowers us to provide ongoing critical services for street animals throughout the community.
The road ahead brings many challenges, and the demand for animal welfare grows daily. With your participation and the steadfast commitment of our sponsors, we can expand our programs to reach every animal in need of help.
Together, we can create a future where every street animal receives the treatment, kindness, and compassion that they so rightfully deserve.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE – If you would like to help more of them
Great Comeback Stories
This section is our “Hall of Honor” – a space to recognize the most remarkable recoveries we’ve witnessed. Here we celebrate our dedicated vets, para-vets, caregivers, and volunteers who transform desperate situations into inspiring success stories.
Their commitment goes far beyond ordinary duty. They work tirelessly, often under difficult conditions, to bring hope to animals who might otherwise be forgotten. Each case they take on is a reminder of how skill, compassion, and persistence can change the course of a life.
Because of their efforts, countless animals have regained health and found safety. These recoveries are not just medical outcomes but powerful reminders of what is possible when people care enough to act.
It is thanks to them that tails wag a little longer, eyes shine brighter, and lives that once seemed lost are given a genuine second chance.
Rocky’s Story: The Dog Who Refused to Read the Script
Hi. I’m Rocky. And before you say anything — yes, I know. I look fantastic now. But let me tell you, the road to fabulous was not exactly lined with biscuits.
It started with an accident. Details? Blurry. Pain? Extremely not blurry. What I do remember is lying on the roadside for days, wondering why nobody told me that untreated wounds have an open-door policy for maggots. They moved in. Uninvited. Set up what I can only describe as a very aggressive colony. Zero stars. Absolutely would not recommend.
Then — finally — Blue Cross of India showed up. The team didn’t even flinch at my condition (professionals, clearly). They cleaned me up, chased out the unwanted tenants, and then introduced me to something called PRP therapy. Platelet-Rich Plasma, apparently. Basically, my own blood — upgraded, turbocharged, and sent back in to fix things. Sounds dramatic. Honestly, felt kind of like a superhero origin story.
One month of dedicated care later — bandage changes, medicines, check-ups, and more kindness than I had ever experienced on the street — I walked out on all four legs. Completely recovered.
The doctors called it a medical success. I call it my second act.
Tail at full wag,
Rocky
Maggot Survivor. PRP Veteran. Comeback King.
Blaze’s Story: Hot Water, Cool Recovery
Hello. My name is Blaze. Named, as it turns out, with unintentional accuracy — because by the time Blue Cross of India found me, I had already had a very close and deeply unpleasant encounter with boiling water.
I won’t linger on how it happened. Humans can be careless. Pots can tip. Dogs should not be in kitchens. Lesson thoroughly learned. What I will tell you is what severe burns feel like: not great. Not great at all. The kind of pain that makes you very, very quiet — which, if you know street dogs, is saying something.
Someone brought me to Blue Cross. I arrived in bad shape. The vets took one look, exchanged a glance that said this is serious, and got to work immediately. What followed was a month of intensive care — dressings, medication, nutrition, and an almost suspicious amount of gentle handling from people who seemed personally offended by my suffering. I found it very reassuring.
Thirty days later: full recovery. Every single patch of damaged skin — healed. The team celebrated. I celebrated by eating an entire bowl of food without stopping, which I feel was the most sincere expression of gratitude available to me.
Burns? Zero stars. Blue Cross of India? Eleven out of ten.
Warm regards (carefully, not too warm),
Blaze
Hot Water Survivor. Walking Proof That Good People Exist.
Great Rescues
The Blue Cross of India has earned the nickname “Animal Rescue University,” training everyone from local NGOs to the Tamil Nadu Fire Service in the fine art of saving animals—often from predicaments that defy all logic and gravity. Our edge? Relentless hands-on practice, sharp instincts, and a team that never backs down.
Leading every mission is a fearless volunteer squad that treats each rescue like a high-stakes operation. Together they’ve hauled animals out of wells, sewers, ledges, and pits so tricky they seem designed by cartoon villains. No drain is too deep, no tunnel too dark.
Our team drills constantly, adapts quickly, and carries out rescues that look more like action films than charity work. With so many remarkable stories, picking just a few feels impossible. But every single one proves why we do this: to give animals another chance at life—and maybe more adventures—knowing we’ll always show up, rope and van at the ready.
Drain Day Drama:
Hello, humans. I’m the dog who discovered that storm water drains are NOT a shortcut to anywhere good. One moment I was trotting along minding my own business, sniffing at interesting smells near the road — and the next? The ground just… disappeared. Down I went, into the cold, dark, wet underworld of Chennai’s drainage system. No warning. No parachute. Just me, the darkness, and the distant sound of my dignity echoing off concrete walls.
I barked. I whimpered. I tried to claw my way up the slippery sides — no luck. The walls were steep, the water was murky, and I was very, very stuck. But then, like a ray of sunlight piercing the gloom, faces appeared above me at the drain opening. The Blue Cross of India rescue team had arrived. They assessed the situation calmly, rigged up their equipment, and one brave soul reached down carefully to where I was trapped, refusing to leave without me.
The moment those gentle hands wrapped around me and lifted me up toward the light, I could have cried — if dogs cried, which we absolutely do not (we’re very tough). Instead I settled for furious tail-wagging and a thorough, grateful face-licking of every rescuer within reach. They laughed. I wagged harder. It was a whole moment.
Back on solid ground, I shook myself dry, took a deep breath of beautiful above-ground air, and made myself a solemn promise: from now on, I walk around the drain covers. Every single one. No exceptions. Not even for the most interesting smell in the world.
Soggy but grateful woofs,
Drain Inspector — Retired 
The BCI MoHo (Mobile Hospital)
Our “Treatment on the Streets” initiative reached new milestones providing care to thousands of animals on the streets of Chennai. It’s our strongest demonstration yet of how mobile healthcare can transform the lives of street animals.
The achievement was powered by running all three of our specialized Mobile Hospitals (MoHos) alongside our trusted Paravets on Wheels (PoW) units, ensuring that treatment reached animals exactly where it was needed.
Working under the guidance of veterinary supervisors, our paravets and vet assistants provided essential diagnostics and treatments right on the streets, bringing timely relief to countless animals. While the demand sometimes tested our capacity, the team’s focus and determination ensured that no animal was left without care.
Every visit keeps our neighbourhood animals healthier, stronger, and ready to continue their daily lives with dignity and well-being.
After all, someone’s got to keep the neighbourhood rascals healthy and ready for their next adventure!
Our “Treatment On The Streets” initiative is supported by several generous sponsors.
HCLFoundation – Our Flagship Mobile Hospital
DahNay Logistics – Mobile Hospital 2
Ranka Steels – Mobile Hospital 3
HCLFoundation – Sponsorship of mobile hospital operational expenses
Ram Nath B.. Dharbanga Goenka (RNBDG) Foundation – Sponsorship of mobile hospital operational expenses
DONATE HERE -Fund the running costs of our street treatment initiative.
If you too are interested in joining us at the sanctuary and lending a hand with various essential tasks, please sign up here. We have plenty of onsite (Chennai) and remote volunteering opportunities available, and we would be delighted to welcome you in our next induction.
8th Aug : Mr. Venu Srinivasan, TVS Chairman visited the sanctuary
21st Aug : Indian Cricketer Raj Varadhan visited the sanctuary
31st Aug : Thiruverkadu Mass Vaccination Drive supported by HCLF – Vaccinated over 700 animals
6th & 7th Sep : Avadi Mass Vaccination Drive supported by HCLF – Vaccinated over 1000+ dogs
2nd Oct : Ayudha Pooja Celebration
4th Oct : World Animal Day Special Pooja
18th Dec : Vinayagar Chaturthi Celebration
Celebrating life – Preserving the endangered – Bringing Awareness
Our social calendar is packed, come join the cheer,
We’ve booked animal days all through the year.
From wagging tails to wings that soar,
There’s fur and feathers and so much more.
Each date’s a reason to purr, bark, or roar,
So mark your calendar — fun’s in store!
July 2024 |
Aug 2024 |
Sep 2024 |
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14th JulWorld CHIMPANZEE Day |
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04th AugInt CLOUDED LEOPARD day |
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1st SepInt PRIMATE day |
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14th JulWorld ORCA Day |
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10th AugWorld LION day |
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17th SepWorld MANTA day |
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16th JulWorld SNAKE Day |
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12th AugWorld ELEPHANT day |
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17th SepInt RED PANDA day |
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29th JulInt. TIGER Day |
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12th AugWorld HIROLA day |
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22nd SepWorld RHINO day |
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13th AugInt. WOLF day |
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22nd SepInt TAMARIN day |
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19th AugWorld ORANGUTAN day |
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24th SepWorld GORILLA day |
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26th AugWorld AFRICAN WILD DOG day |
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26th SepWorld CASSOWARY day |
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30th AugInt. WHALE SHARK day |
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Oct 2022 |
Nov 2022 |
Dec 2022 |
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04th OctWorld ANIMAL Day |
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01st NovWorld VEGAN day |
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04th DecIntt. CHEETAH Day |
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09th OctWorld MIGRATORY BIRD Day |
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29th NovIntt. JAGUAR Day |
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04th DecWildlife Conservation Day |
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17th OctIntt. SAWFISH Day |
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14th DecMONKEY Day |
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18th OctWorld OKAPI DayIntt. SLOTH Day |
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22nd OctIntt. WOMBAT Day |
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23rd OctIntt. SNOW LEOPARD Day |
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24th OctIntt. GIBBON Day |
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25th Oct (Last Friday of Oct)World LEMUR Day |
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The Blue Cross of India has been serving the voiceless for over six decades, made possible largely through donations from caring individuals like you. BCI was the first animal welfare organisation in India to receive the Guidestar Platinum Rating for transparency in 2013-14, and has maintained it every single year since—an unmatched seal of credibility.
Every rupee you give is channelled with utmost care, directed almost entirely to animal welfare with only minimal administrative costs. This Platinum rating is your assurance that donations are used efficiently, with clear accountability, enabling donors to trust exactly where their support goes. Learn More…
We are deeply grateful for your kindness and generosity, which ensure that BCI continues to protect and care for animals year after year.
(Donations are eligible for 80G tax exemption – Make sure you mention your PAN No)
Make Memories with Blue Cross Of India
Whether it’s your birthday, bold as a lion’s cheer,
Or a memory that lifts you like wings in the clear.
An anniversary humming like a morning song,
Or honoring someone who’s helped you stay strong.
A surprise that leaps like a kitten at play,
Or a milestone you’ve chased like a pup on its way.
A tribute as loyal as a faithful friend—
Whatever your reason, the joy need not end!
Feed 2,000 animals, see tails wag in delight,
With grateful purrs and barks that brighten the night.
The love of an animal, steadfast and true—
A gift from your heart that lives on through you.
Transform any occasion into a howling success—because every celebration deserves to go to the dogs… in the best possible way!