THE 'RESCUE GIRL' OF HYDERABAD.

As far as she can remember, there were always pet cats, dogs and chickens in Hira Khan's home in Hyderabad.

She was so fond of animals that, on trips to the market with her family, instead of shopping, she would be on the lookout for stray animals. On spotting them, she would do what she had seen her mother do - pick up the puppies and kittens and take them home to take care of them.

So it hardly comes as a surprise that, in 2018, Khan set up Hyderabad's first Animal Protection Shelter, in the area of Latifabad. 'It is an extension of my feelings for these innocent creatures,' says the 29-year-old who works as an accountant in a real estate company.

Earlier that year, she had started to feed strays in her neighbourhood, gradually moving on to other units of Latifabad, followed by other areas of Hyderabad such as Qasimabad and Tilak Incline.

Along with a dedicated team of volunteers, a young woman has started the first animal shelter in Hyderabad

While feeding animals, she also came across sick and injured strays. She would either bring them home for treatment and rehabilitation or take them to the vet. It wasn't long before people began to recognise her and she became known as the 'rescue girl'.

'On one of my rescue trips, I found an abandoned donkey whose foot was injured,' recalls Khan. 'He was the first donkey I rescued. I fed him and tied him up under a tree on a street near my home. Later, when I uploaded a video on Facebook, Huzur Bux Jamali, a Tando Jam vet offered treatment and medicines free of cost.'

A banner on the shelter wall

Rescuing the beast boosted her confidence and she thought that, if she could save a donkey, she could perhaps organise a dedicated space for animal protection and care. Later, that year, she mobilised some like-minded friends, organised a rescue team and started looking for a place to establish an animal shelter.

'We found land in Latifabad Unit 5,' Khan says. 'The area has many cattle farms and the rent of 25,000 rupees is affordable.'

Khan's initial investment for the 240 square yard shelter was two million rupees from her own savings. A small office was constructed and painted. The team bought a water tank, office furniture, cages, dishes, food, accessories and medical instruments. Presently, Khan spends 60,000 rupees per month to run the shelter, most of it coming from her own salary, which she can afford to do because she lives with her parents.

Seventy percent of the animals Khan's team rescues are...