Water, Food and Cows

Dear Friends of Karuna

We are just now starting to come out of a severe drought that was experienced throughout Southern India.  In our state of Andhra Pradesh the water tanks, wells, rivers, lakes and ponds were all dry.  It is now July and we are anxiously waiting for the rains to come. In the north of India there is flooding, but in the south we are still waiting.  Our herd of 350 rescued cattle grew in April when we took in another 150 cows and buffaloes after they were rescued on their way to slaughter.  Thankfully, we received a donation to buy more cattle fodder to feed these newcomers to our herd.

       
Villagers fill their buckets from our                 Buffaloes get sprayed with water to help
new bore well.                                         them deal with the intense heat.

We were also given a much needed donation to install a new bore well to be able to supply water to all of the animals and staff that live and work at Karuna.  The need for water became a real problem in the village as tanks and wells became completely dry.  Luckily we were able to share the wealth of these drops of nectar from our newly acquired bore well so that no one would suffer.

As the rains have not yet come, the food that we had bought and stored for our cattle is almost gone.  We are waiting for the rains which will bring fresh grass on the hills but, until then, we will have to buy what we can.

   
A cow quenches its thirst with temperatures     The last bullock cart of stored cattle fodder
reaching 42C/107F

     
A teenage buffalo uses the drinking water                      Cattle during the drought
trough as a cooling tub!