Threats, Bribes No Match For Hero Who Rescues Lions, Chimpanzees From Horrifying Cruelty

Antony Rubin, although the founding father of an internet improvement firm by occupation, is a passionate animal rescuer at coronary heart. 

The 37-year-old, who hails from Chennai, has labored in the direction of animal welfare since 2000. He additionally holds a postgraduate diploma within the topic. 

He says that from across the time he was 17, he would take pity on seeing overloaded bullock carts. He and his pals would offload the heavy materials and take away the whips hooked up to the animals.  

“From a younger age, I couldn’t stand to see animals in ache. Rescue work introduced me satisfaction,” he says. 

The incident that obtained Antony occupied with animal rescue:

Younger Antony was all the time looking out for creatures in ache and in want of rescue. So when he noticed a horse in a pathetic state whereas on a seashore someday, he acted instantly. 

“The horse had been used for pleasure rides on the seashore, and the fixed strolling had left it in a deplorable situation, with its legs swollen. We organized for an ambulance to take it to a veterinary hospital,” he says. 

However sadly, the horse dropped lifeless earlier than it might get to the hospital. This tragic incident left a mark on Antony, who determined to take up animal rescue work in his free time on a a lot bigger scale. 

Since then, he has been into rescue work for canine, horses, chimpanzees and even lions, amongst different animals. 

The chimpanzee affair

“I’ll allow you to in on the chimpanzee rescue operation,” says Antony, explaining that all of it started when he obtained to know from his sources a few well-known circus in Tamil Nadu, the place 4 chimpanzees have been performing. 

Amongst them was Lakshmi, who had been driving a bicycle on a skinny rope to entertain the crowds, and was left injured throughout the act. “After we noticed her, she was paralysed, had mattress sores, and couldn’t transfer,” says Antony, including that her small cage restricted her actions and made issues worse. 

Together with his workforce, he filed a grievance with the police and organized a setup to rescue the chimps and take them to security. Nonetheless, it wasn’t so simple as it sounds. 

Owing to the scale of the chimps, solely two could possibly be taken within the caravan at a time. Lakshmi’s mom and cousin have been taken on the primary journey. “We’d deliberate to return and take Guru (her son) on the second journey, however he was aggressive. He didn’t really feel protected with out his household current. So we needed to convey the opposite two chimps again to the circus, and take the three again to the rescue centre collectively.”

He recounts, “All the operation took 72 hours and was overseen by 300 police.”

As for Lakshmi, she was taken in an ambulance to a close-by rescue centre, the place her accidents have been tended to. 

For Antony, it’s the happiness of the animal on being rescued that makes all of the distinction. 

“Months later, on Lakshmi’s birthday, I went to the rescue centre to see how she was doing. The chain on her neck was nonetheless there because it was feared she would get aggressive as soon as it was eliminated and he or she was free.”

With the permission of the guards there, Antony started to take away the chain, as ‘Completely happy Birthday’ was being sung for the chimp. He says, “I knew both of two issues might occur — Lakshmi would both get violent after so a few years of being held captive, or she could be immensely glad on the freedom.”

What got here subsequent melted Antony’s coronary heart — Lakshmi smiled brightly and saved a hand on Antony. 

However as heartwarming as these moments could also be, he additionally comes throughout many terrifying incidents.

The poacher who was promoting a panther 

“Typically, I get to find out about an animal that wants rescuing, however once I dive deep into the case, the scene will get murkier and it results in one thing I don’t anticipate,” he says. 

One such incident was when, on his rounds in Chennai, he noticed a Malabar squirrel. 

“I knew for a undeniable fact that this was not a probable habitat the place one would see an enormous squirrel, and began monitoring down the place it had come from. I landed on a home close to a distinguished college in Chennai.” 

Issues obtained extra suspicious when the owners — when questioned — mentioned they bought the large squirrel from a person who apparently had a menu card of animals that had been poached. 

Pretending to be a purchaser, Antony managed to trace him down and was provided a panther for Rs 22,000. 

In an try to put an finish to his sport, Antony performed alongside and arrange bait with the police concerned. The story ended with the poacher being put behind bars. 

The cases of animal cruelty are many, as Antony says. 

The pleasure of lions 

Antony was effectively conscious that the Authorities of India has banned the usage of lions in circuses. So when he obtained to find out about a sure place that was hiding lions for a circus, and holding them in rusted cages with little to no upkeep, he was bent on attending to the underside of the story. 

“My investigation led me to a district in Tamil Nadu, the place I traced the laundry store close to which there have been a few cages,” he says, including that it was an space with loads of native outlets close by, all with out a clue that simply metres from them, there have been these 4 ferocious wild beasts. 

“After I noticed the way in which the lions have been saved, I used to be fearful about how lengthy it was till they broke free,” he provides, recalling how there was nobody to feed the beasts and so they got solely daal and rice. 

In an try to put an finish to this, Antony then went to the cops, however they refused to do something, claiming it was a courtroom matter and so they couldn’t get entangled. 

“However I knew my plea could be heard by the media.”  

So, Antony took photographs of the cages and returned to Chennai, the place he shared them with the media and spoke about why the scenario was harmful.

The subsequent day, residents and politicians of Tamil Nadu woke as much as the horrific information of the lions being in such shut proximity to residential areas, and it was ordered that the lions be instantly transferred to the rescue centre. 

“After I went to the centre later to see the animals, the lion wished to nuzzle in opposition to me by the mesh,” he recounts. “It was behaving like a small cat.” 

However doesn’t he ever really feel scared? 

“If you find yourself doing good, there’s a type of safety round you,” says Antony. “Even within the scariest of circumstances, I really feel there’s a pressure that surrounds me.” 

He recounts how individuals have threatened him, as he usually rescues cattle from being illegally slaughtered. However on the finish of the day, Antony feels he’s doing his bit to assist unvoiced animals. 

Whereas he doesn’t hold a depend of the variety of animals he rescues, he says there have been 85 horses and 18 lions amongst these. 

Together with discipline rescues, Antony has additionally began getting concerned in coverage frameworks for the animals. “I advocate for acts to be launched for animal security, legal guidelines in opposition to cruelty. I additionally file animal abuse circumstances.”

In Could 2022, Antony was made a member of the State Wildlife Board of the Authorities of Tamil Nadu. 

“What we’ve to know is we share the identical planet,” he says, explaining why he’s so enthusiastic about animals and their rights. “Animals by no means need to hurt us, however with us taking up their land, they’re pressured to outlive in no matter manner they’ll. We have to step up for change.”