20-year-old Md Zabi Khan has been recognised as the Youngest Animal Rights Activist (male) by the World Records India. He runs an NGO and a shelter home for abused and abandoned animals and has rescued over 500 animals and rehabilitated and rehomed over 3,000 animals in six years. He says, “Its an honour to hold a world record. I’m delighted to see the support from animal lovers all over the world.”
It all started when he found a German Shepherd while walking down the street. “I got to know that his owners left him there and never returned, so I adopted and named him Casanova. Four years down the lane, I realised that he was suffering from parvo bacteria and was in the last stage; he was probably abandoned because his previous owners didn’t want to put in money to save him. That day, I told myself that I would not let any animal suffer like Casanova did,” says Zabi, who is pursuing Computer Science Engineering from KG Reddy College of Engineering and Technology.
Zabi started a shelter home, A place to Bark, along with another animal lover, Shruti Darak, which is now run by Zabi and other volunteers. “At the shelter home we deal with abandoned and abused dogs/cats. The activities range from animal adoption, rehabilitation, retraining, providing medical assistance to injured animals, rescuing abused animals, creating awareness in schools, colleges, orphanages and sending food to animals affected by natural calamities.”
Zabi first rented a place near his house to run the shelter home, but as it was tough to manage his academics and the shelter, he opened one at his college.
“With students strongly backing me, I convinced college authorities to open an animal shelter in the college, making my college the first animal-friendly educational campus. All the students now contribute in several ways towards running the shelter. We have 35 student volunteers. This also engages students in other activities apart from studies,” he says, adding, “I want to now replicate this model in other schools and colleges. In this unique ecosystem, animals can travel in the college bus and roam freely in the campus.”
