Happy Leos Rescue Foundation
Working Tirelessly To Deliver Essential Care And Rehabilitation To Animals In Need
“We strive to create a community where every animal is valued and cared for.” — Vaishali Sanghavi, the Founder of Happy Leos.
Iconic Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2024
Every year, animal welfare charities work to improve their welfare by raising awareness of animal cruelty and directly providing care to needy animals. Acting as a voice for the voiceless, these NGOs help protect different types of animals, from abandoned dogs to endangered species.
Established in 2023, the Happy Leos Rescue Foundation stands as a guardian for the voiceless, advocating their well-being and delivering optimal medical care to those animals in need. Happy Leos plays a crucial role in delivering essential care and rehabilitation to neglected and unwell animals, rescued from the streets or abandoned by their owners. Some of the key services offered by the Happy Leos are animal rescue, emergency rescue operations, street animal rescue, rehabilitation, sterilisation, adoption services, aftercare, support, and raising awareness of animal welfare issues.
Rooted in the vibrant city of Mumbai, the ongoing focus of this animal welfare NGO is to help shape a “world where every animal is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect, and where no animal suffers from neglect or abuse.” Happy Leos works towards this vision and offers a nurturing home to over 150 animals, including the elderly, handicapped, paralysed, orphaned, abandoned, and aggressive ones.
Led by the Founder, Vaishali Sanghavi, the organisation has relentlessly pursued its mission to ensure the well-being and humane treatment of animals through rescue, rehabilitation, sterilisation, and adoption efforts. At present, Vaishali is the sole executive managing operations, supported by a dedicated team of four volunteers. Together, they oversee all aspects of animal rescue, care, rehabilitation, and adoption efforts.
The Key Inspiration Behind Vaishali’s Journey
Vaishali’s path is filled with unexpected turns and bold choices. A young woman, harbouring a deep love and compassion for animals, found immense joy in feeding and providing for them whenever she could.
“My life’s purpose and ultimate goal are to build a sanctuary for the emaciated, abandoned, malnourished and neglected voiceless souls of my city. These animals, often left to suffer and starve on the streets, deserve a place where they can find shelter and care” , the inspirational lady proudly apprised.
Even though she was an ordinary individual with little money, her aspirations of making a difference for the stray animals of her city gave way to a different calling.
“There have been many obstacles along the way, especially without financial backing and a supportive team. I’ve often invested a significant portion of my salary into feeding these animals, but it’s never enough to meet all their needs, especially medical care,” recounts Vaishali.
Vaishali’s dream of building a shelter requires more than passion; it needs space, medical equipment, and a dedicated team. Although she lacks these resources at the moment, her resolve to one day establish a home for these helpless animals remains strong. Until then, she will do everything in her power to take care of them and protect them.
Conquering the Challenges Along the Way
Navigating the intricacies of animal care often presents challenges like financial constraints, the lack of a dedicated team, and the absence of a proper facility to care for animals in need. For Vaishali also, financing the rescue, rehabilitation, and ongoing care of animals has been a constant challenge. Veterinary treatments, food, and shelter necessities add up quickly.
Despite the financial strain, she often spends a large portion of her personal income to ensure the animals are fed and receive the basic care they need. She further reached out to local communities, friends, and other animal welfare organizations to seek donations and support. Fundraising events and social media campaigns have also been instrumental in generating additional funds.
An Edge Over the Peers
Happy Leos is creating a distinguished stance for itself in the animal welfare domain and making a meaningful and lasting impact. Some of its key differentiators include:
• Happy Leos takes a holistic approach to animal welfare, addressing not just rescue and rehabilitation but also sterilisation and adoption. This ensures a full cycle of care, from saving animals in distress to finding them loving homes.
• Vaishali actively engages with the community through awareness campaigns, educational workshops, and volunteer programs to foster a culture of compassion and responsible pet ownership, amplifying the impact.
• Here, each animal receives individualised attention and treatment plans. Vaishali personally ensures that every animal’s physical and emotional needs are met.
• The organisation maintains a high level of transparency in its operations, regularly updating its supporters and donors on its activities, achievements, and financials.
• It places a high priority on educating the public on issues related to animal welfare, ethical pet ownership, and the significance of sterilization to prevent animal suffering and promote a more compassionate society.
Current Trends and Technologies
Innovation and technological advancements are truly reshaping animal welfare and conservation efforts today. From telemedicine for remote veterinary care to AI-driven analysis of animal behaviour, these advancements are revolutionising how they care for animals and protect wildlife. 3D printing provides customised solutions like prosthetics for injured animals, while blockchain ensures transparency in animal product sourcing. These technologies hold great promise for enhancing animal welfare and conserving biodiversity worldwide.
• Telemedicine and Telehealth Services
• Animal Tracking and Identification Systems
• 3D Printing for Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Animal Behavior Analysis
• Blockchain for Animal Supply Chain Management
• Biometric scanning and facial recognition for animal identification
Nurturing a Culture of Dedication, Cooperation, and Compassion
Happy Leos’s work culture is centred around compassion, collaboration, and dedication to animal welfare. The leading lady has always prioritised open communication, teamwork, and support among her staff and volunteers. Regular team meetings, social events, and clear mission alignment contribute to a friendly and cohesive work environment.
Understanding the significance of a positive atmosphere for everyone’s success while improving the lives of animals in need, Vaishali promotes work-life balance and provides opportunities for growth and recognition.
Achievements and Future Ahead
Happy Leos embarked on its transformative journey of caring with just 2 animals; it is now taking care of 120, despite lacking a proper shelter. To be able to provide comprehensive care—food, medical treatment, spaying and neutering, and facilitating adoptions—is the biggest achievement for the team. “Our impact extends through community engagement, advocacy for responsible pet ownership, and increasing awareness of animal welfare issues,” asserted Vaishali.
Looking ahead, Happy Leos strives to achieve its primary goal of establishing a permanent shelter to provide a haven for animals. It further plans to expand its team by recruiting veterinary doctors, increasing volunteer involvement, and partnering with influencers who share the same passion to amplify the message and increase awareness. It is also looking forward to forming CSR partnerships with companies aligned with their values.
These partnerships will provide vital support in terms of funding, in-kind donations, and volunteer engagement that will expand its rescue and rehabilitation efforts, enhance medical care capabilities, and ultimately save more animal lives.
