I am M. Sai Vignesh, a 23-year-old Animal Rescuer, Vegan, Social and Animal Activist.
I have been rescuing injured and sick animals since I was 15 years old and I have been fortunate enough to rescue hundreds of animals including dogs, cats, cows, bulls, buffaloes, goats and more.
I am a Civil Service Aspirant. I develop websites on a freelance basis and the money I earn there goes towards managing the running expenses of the sanctuary.

 

How it all started: 2007 - 2019:

 

My interaction with animals started during my early childhood as I had seen my grandparents feeding the stray animals. They were my source of inspiration as they always used to tell me that it is important to help others in whatever means possible to bring a ‘meaning to why we were born’.
Bairava was the first companion dog I had in my life. He passed away when I was around 5 years old and it was a heart-breaking event in our lives. My parents decided that we will not get any other companion animal (pet) as losing them is an unimaginably painful. So I started feeding the stray dogs and spending time with them when I was 7 years old. My parents encouraged me to be kind to stray dogs.

It was going like this until 2015… That’s when my life took a great turn.
It was 2015 Chennai Flood and I saw so many injured and distressed animals. I was 15 years old at that time, I didn’t know what to do but my heart told me to rescue the animals.
I rescued many dogs, puppies and even birds during the flood, I kept all of them in our home.

I took them to veterinary hospitals and got them treated, soon they recovered but I didn’t know where to keep them, so I started finding adopters for them through social media.
I was able to get many dogs and puppies adopted this way.

Soon, I started getting many calls from people reporting injured and sick stray animals (Mostly dogs) from various parts of the city. I didn’t have the heart to ignore the calls, I started rescuing such animals and getting them treated in various veterinary hospitals across the city.
The bills from the veterinary hospitals started accumulating, I started requesting for help from my parents, friends and even on social media to settle the bills. Some kind hearted people supported me.
My grandfather started giving his whole monthly pension to me to use for animal rescues till he passed away in the year of 2018.

As I kept rescued dogs in our home, it started triggering issues with neighbours and house owners. We had to shift to over 8 different houses between 2016 and 2019 because of such issues.

 

 

Start of the Sanctuary: 2019 -

Such struggles made me realize the need to start a sanctuary for the rescued animals, where they can be free and happy.
My dream came to life in 2019 when a kind animal lover named Sivamani sir donated his land to be used for the sanctuary.

I needed money to start the sanctuary from the scratch. My parents helped me by selling our ancestral house and I used the funds to build the initial portions of the sanctuary.
Anu Vidya was an animal activist and a trekker who passed away in the 2018 Kurangani Trekking Fires, her dream was also to build a dog shelter. Her parents sponsored to build a section for the dogs. Our dog house became a permanent home for many paralyzed, abandoned and sick dogs.

Suddenly one day, I decided something…. I decided that the sanctuary should be a safe home for all animals regardless of their species, whether dogs or cats or cows or buffaloes or horses or donkeys or pigs or goats. I decided that the sanctuary should not be only limited to dogs.

​

Chasing the Cattle: 2020 –

​

While I first rescued a calf from an illegal slaughter house in the year of 2017, the real chase began in 2020 only.

It was a Sunday morning (12th January of 2020), I saw something which was very heartbreaking… I saw a cow struggling for her life after having her throat slit; I noticed some vibrations in her stomach region. Soon, the men started skinning her and pulled out an unborn calf from her stomach after cutting it open. These men then started cutting the unborn calf into pieces. It was the most horrible thing I ever saw in my life.
I immediately called the Police and filed a case against them.

​

I couldn’t sleep for days after seeing this incident. As per the law, ‘slaughtering’ pregnant cows/buffaloes and calves were illegal but still it was being done.
I decided to do something. I started gather information on such slaughtersheds and then
I started rescuing cows, calves, bulls and buffaloes from such places after filing cases.

In the last two years, we have been able to rescue hundreds of cows, calves, bulls and buffaloes from slaughtersheds and illegal trafficking. Some lives we were able to save, some succumbed.

I was attacked and threatened by such wrongdoers many times in the last two years but I have made a promise to myself that I will not let such people stop me from doing the work I do for the animals.
I feel that it is basic duty of us humans to do our bit for the animals.

I have filed nearly 100 cases against animal abusers who indulge in animal cruelty. I have faced death threats and even assaults but I will continue to do what I do because we shouldn’t be mute spectators to injustice. Various cases I filed are pending before Trial Courts, District Courts, High Court and the Supreme Court.
I am trying to do my best in whatever way I can to help animals and the environment – be it rescuing or raising my voice against animal abusers by filing cases or raising awareness about the importance of being compassionate to animals.

​

Small changes I have been able to make so far :

1. Rescued 1000 + Injured and Sick Animals.

2. Found Loving Homes for 350+ Puppies and Kittens

3. Filed 100+ Cases against Animal Cruelties.

4. Vaccinated Hundreds of Stray Dogs.

5. Distributed  Water Bowls to major points across the city to quench the thirst of animals during summer. 

6. Raising Awareness through social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Youtube to foster compassion towards all living beings. 

​

Recent video about our sanctuary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJi2xYocVeg

​

List of articles and the projects relating to animal welfare which I have done:

​

Inauguration of our Sanctuary in 2019 which was attended by DGP Dr. C. Sylendra Babu:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/teen-animal-activist-sets-up-dispensary-near-chennai/articleshow/71065480.cms

​

Supreme Court allows Tiruvallur shelter to keep rescued cattle

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/supreme-court-allows-tiruvallur-shelter-to-keep-rescued-cattle/articleshow/97393920.cms

​

Water Bowl Initiative for All Police Stations of Tamil Nadu
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/apr/11/tn-police-to-help-birds-beat-the-heat-2564687.html

​

Water Bowls were placed at over 340 Fire Stations all over Tamil Nadu to quench the thirst of stray animals and birds: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/water-bowls-for-animals-to-be-placed-at-all-fire-stations-across-tamil-nadu/article31756776.ece

​

Water Bowls were placed at all police stations in Chennai, Tiruvallur and other districts: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chennai-cop-extends-helping-hand-to-animals-and-birds-this-summer/articleshow/81351429.cms
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/chennai-police-stations-have-water-bowls-thirsty-animals-and-birds-103445

​

Articles of the some of the cases I filed against animal cruelty:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/salem/47-year-old-man-held-for-poisoning-dog-to-death/articleshow/99082653.cms?from=mdr
https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/crime/article/tamil-nadu-couple-slaughters-pregnant-cow-for-meat-booked/627865
https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/wtf/sickening-chennai-man-drags-dog-on-road-beats-it-up-then-throws-it-into-pond-gets-arrested-367207.html
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/former-tn-cop-assaults-animal-activist-who-questioned-mistreatment-dogs-144920
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2021/oct/09/tiruvallur-youth-saves-cattle-from-illegal-slaughter-2369496.html
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/gudapakkam-apt-complex-accused-of-animal-cruelty/articleshow/90616552.cms
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/dog-killed-search-on-for-suspect/article27111108.ece
https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/crime/article/chennai-drunk-tea-stall-worker-allegedly-rapes-stray-dog-locals-file-complaint/373345
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/chennai-man-accused-sexually-assaulting-puppies-arrested-99105

 

Articles about our Sanctuary:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/shelter-opened-for-rescued-cattle-near-chennai/articleshow/87804930.cms
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/unlikely-heroes-i-made-it-a-point-to-feed-300-dogs-a-day-says-sai-vignesh/articleshow/80287149.cms
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/young-activist-struggles-for-funds-to-take-care-of-rescued-animals-near-chennai/articleshow/83118219.cms
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/apr/30/hit-by-pandemic-20-year-old-sai-seeks-help-to-run-animal-shelter-2296568.html
https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2019/07/chennai-teen-activist-animal-shelter/amp

​

Our Social Media Handles:
https://www.instagram.com/saivignesh2000

https://www.facebook.com/saivignesh2000

https://www.youtube.com/c/saivignesh2000

https://www.facebook.com/almightyanimalcaretrust

​