An animal hospital in the city has appealed for old blankets, sheets and sacks to keep the animals warm during winter.

The Calcutta chapter of Ashari, People for Animals, has been making this appeal for the last few years because the injured dogs and cats in the hospital need extra protection during winter.

“With winter around the corner, we need to provide warmth for all the animals at Ashari. We would be grateful for old blankets, sweaters, sheets, jute sacks, shawls — anything you can donate,” reads the appeal made on social media.

“We have dogs and cats who are undergoing treatment. Some of the dogs are paraplegic and cannot move and develop bed sores. Their beds need to be changed and we need soft beds for them,” Ashari spokesperson Moupiya Banerjee said.

People keen to donate may call 8335045433 between 11am and 5pm for guidance.

“There is a requirement round the year but more during winter because there are some dogs and cats who... sleep in the passage and they need something warm in winter,” she added.

Currently, the hospital has 105 cows, more than 400 dogs and around 70 cats and some kites.

Animals at Ashari, People for Animals, Calcutta chapter Telegraph picture

The Covid pandemic has affected Ashari as donations have declined. “We have some regular donors who donate online. But many others who would visit us and donate in cash or kind are not coming. There were some who would donate food or medicines but that has dried up during the pandemic,” Banerjee said.

“Our expenses covering treatment, medicine and food for animals and payment of staff are huge. Since we only depend on private funding, we have appealed to people to come forward with blankets and sheets.”

Spread across 4.4 acres in Mukundupur, the hospital has three ponds on the campus. “It gets very cold on the campus in winter because of the water bodies and open space. Since these animals are injured and domesticated, they need some warm cover,” said Radhika Bose, a committee member at Ashari.

Bose also said some of the injured animals would soil the bed frequently.

The hospital only admits animals that are injured and strays who cannot survive on their own. “The idea is not to keep healthy animals but those who need care,” Bose said.

Ashari also runs a passive adoption programme - one can adopt a pet but not take it home.

A person can name the pet, walk and play with them at Ashari and pay for them which is Rs 1,000 a month for a cat or a dog and Rs 1,500 a month for a cow.