Anant Ambani has launched Champions of Care, a new nationwide animal welfare initiative that aims to strengthen the work of organisations caring for animals across India. The programme, led by Vantara, has brought together more than 50 animal welfare groups with the goal of improving rescue operations, veterinary treatment, shelter facilities and long-term community animal care.
The initiative was announced around World Animal Day during a gathering at Vantara in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Representatives from animal welfare organisations, along with members associated with the Animal Welfare Board of India, took part in discussions focused on the challenges faced by groups working directly with animals.
Vantara animal welfare programme in India
Champions of Care is designed to support organisations that regularly work with street dogs, cats, abandoned livestock and working animals such as horses and donkeys. Many of these groups operate with limited staff, infrastructure and financial resources, making sustained support important for improving the quality of care they can provide.
Through the initiative, participating organisations are expected to receive assistance in areas such as veterinary services, rescue equipment, mobile animal ambulances, diagnostic facilities and shelter development. The programme also aims to encourage knowledge sharing between organisations so that successful practices can be adapted and used in different regions.
Representatives attending the programme were given an opportunity to understand Vantara’s approach to animal treatment, nutrition, rehabilitation and long-term care. Discussions also focused on finding practical solutions that can be used by grassroots organisations according to their local needs.
Animal rescue and veterinary care initiative
The initiative is also expected to help organisations improve shelter infrastructure. Proposed support includes better drainage systems, rainwater harvesting and solar power facilities, along with quarantine and disease-management areas that can help protect animals during outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Another focus of Champions of Care is building stronger cooperation between organisations rather than allowing individual groups to work in isolation. Vantara and participating organisations have entered into a framework for collaboration that includes training, capacity building and continued exchange of knowledge.
Members of the Animal Welfare Board of India who attended the gathering welcomed efforts to understand the practical difficulties faced by animal welfare organisations. The programme is expected to support approximately two million animals each year through its network of participating groups.
Anant Ambani said the initiative recognises the contribution of people who continue caring for animals despite working with limited resources. Champions of Care also reflects Vantara’s wider approach of treating animal welfare as a long-term responsibility rather than a one-time rescue effort.
By supporting veterinary care, shelters, rescue services and grassroots organisations at the same time, the initiative aims to build a stronger and more organised animal welfare network across India. Its long-term success, however, will depend on how effectively promised resources and training reach organisations working directly on the ground.
