When and how was Heaven for Animals started?
Heaven for Animals (HFA) was established on June 14th, 2021, and quickly made strides in animal welfare by launching South India’s first cloud kitchen dedicated to feeding stray animals on August 28th, 2021.

What are the main initiatives this NGO supports to ensure animal well-being?
Heaven for Animals (HFA) is committed to animal welfare through various impactful initiatives. We have distributed over 9,000 free water bowls across Tamil Nadu to ensure animals have access to clean drinking water. Our cloud kitchen, the first of its kind in South India, prepares approximately 4,000 meals daily to provide free, nutritious food for community animals, ensuring that dogs, cats, and other animals receive at least one meal per day.

HFA has also organized significant vaccination drives, including a record-breaking event where we vaccinated 1,111 dogs in a single day, earning a world record in collaboration with Thryve Digital Health LLP. Continuing our efforts, we have planned another major vaccination drive on October 27, 2024, aiming to vaccinate 1,001 dogs, again in partnership with Thryve Digital Health LLP. These initiatives reflect our unwavering commitment to animal well-being.

How does your NGO address issues of animal abuse and neglect?
To address animal abuse and neglect, HFA leverages the legal expertise and influence of our founder, a criminal lawyer at the Chennai High Court. With his guidance, we have actively pursued justice in cases of animal cruelty, filing over 179 FIRs to hold perpetrators accountable. Additionally, we provide free legal advice and assistance to support individuals in fighting against animal abuse, ensuring that the rights of animals are defended and upheld.

Do you have programs focused on educating people about animal rights and care?
Yes, we have several programs aimed at raising awareness about animal welfare. We conduct annual awareness sessions in schools and colleges to educate students on the importance of animal protection. Recently, we held a program at Sathyabama University, and we have also conducted sessions at Chennai Public School and other schools across the city.

How can people support your organization and get involved in helping animals?
We engage in a variety of activities to promote animal welfare, including pet adoption drives. As the official NGO partner for the Times of India, we regularly conduct adoption drives during “Happy Streets” events hosted by TOI, providing a platform for community involvement. We also organize other events where people can volunteer, such as water bowl distribution. Additionally, we welcome donations on special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, which support our daily feeding programs and medical treatments for community animals.

Who are some of the celebrities who have supported you?
We have been fortunate to receive significant support for our cause and values from prominent personalities, including IAS officer Dr. Radhakrishnan, actress Namitha, actress Parvathi Nair, and actor Santhosh Prathap. Their endorsement has greatly helped raise awareness and strengthen our mission.

Can you share about some recent noteworthy events?
We recently launched CANVAX 2024, a free vaccination camp scheduled for October 27th, 2024, in collaboration with Thryve Digital Health LLP, where we aim to vaccinate 1,001 community dogs. This follows a similar event last year, CANVAX 2023, also in partnership with Thryve Digital Health LLP, where we set a world record by vaccinating 1,111 community dogs in a single day. In May, we organized a free water bowl distribution event, providing 2,500 bowls and bringing our total to 9,000 distributed over the recent years. As the official NGO partner for Times of India, we regularly conduct adoption drives during “Happy Streets” events and have successfully facilitated the adoption of 1,250 puppies and kittens through these initiatives.

What are your future goals?
We are prioritizing the establishment of an Animal Birth Control (ABC) center, where community animals can be brought in for sterilization to help control the population. Additionally, we are planning to expand our cloud kitchen to significantly increase its capacity, aiming to prepare meals for over 25,000 animals, ensuring more community animals receive the nourishment they need.