On World Animal Day, Anant M. Ambani, Executive Director of Reliance Industries Limited and philanthropist dedicated to animal welfare, announced the launch of Champions of Care, a new initiative under Vantara aimed at strengthening community animal welfare in India through practical and sustainable solutions.
The initiative unites over 50 animal welfare organizations from across the country that provide care for community dogs, cats and large animals, offering veterinary hospital services, mobile rescue and veterinary assistance, and long-term animal care.
Champions of Care is founded on the principle that every community animal deserves care, protection and dignity. This includes street dogs and cats, abandoned and working animals such as cattle, donkeys and horses, as well as those rescued from injury, neglect or abandonment. These animals often require veterinary treatment, shelter, nutrition and long-term support, alongside responsible population management through animal birth control programs for community dogs and cats.
Eight members of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the statutory advisory body for promoting animal welfare in the country, participated in the gathering.
The initiative aims to reach and support approximately two million animals annually across India with veterinary care, rescue, shelter, feeding and ongoing care.
Anant Ambani said, “Every day, there are countless people who quietly care for animals in need, often with limited resources and little recognition, but with immense compassion. Their work reminds us that kindness has no boundaries and that every life deserves care, protection and dignity. Through Champions of Care, we hope to stand beside this work, strengthen the care available to community animals and help build a more compassionate India. For us, this is what Every Life Matters truly means.”
SP Gupta, former chairman and current member of AWBI, stated, “I deeply appreciate Shri Anant Ambani Ji’s vision and leadership in bringing Champions of Care to life. I have traveled across the world, but have rarely seen an animal care center where such advanced facilities and technology have been made available for animals, with a level of care comparable to what we aspire to provide for people. What touched me most was his personal effort to listen to the organizations, understand their challenges on the ground and respond with By bringing these organizations together, he is not only recognizing their dedication but also strengthening their collective ability to care for animals.
The two-day event held at Vantara was designed to be more than a formal meeting. On the first day, delegates observed Vantara’s specialized facilities, systems and practices delivering compassion through care. They visited centers caring for rescued elephants and big cats, including lions, tigers and leopards, and naturalistic habitats accommodating free-roaming herbivores such as bison, zebras and antelope species.
This visit highlighted how nutrition, veterinary care, housing, enrichment and lifelong care integrate to support animal well-being, with principles applicable to the care of community animals.
The second day focused on fostering connection, dialogue and collaboration among participating organizations, who shared experiences, identified common challenges and explored support mechanisms. They discussed potential solutions through sharing knowledge, expertise and resources, acknowledging that collaboration is key to addressing challenges in animal care.
A significant outcome of the gathering was the signing of a Letter of Understanding between Vantara and all participating organizations, formalizing their commitment to collaborate on animal community welfare. This agreement establishes a framework for cooperation, knowledge exchange, capacity building and practical support to address on-ground needs.
Each organization was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation signed by Anant Ambani, recognizing their dedication and tireless efforts towards animal care and welfare.
The initiative will support diverse requirements identified by the organizations, including infrastructure development, animal housing, ambulances and mobile services, rescue equipment, diagnostic and treatment tools, training, and facilities for lifelong care. Infrastructure enhancements will feature solar power systems, rainwater harvesting and improved drainage to improve the efficiency, resilience and sustainability of facilities.
Some organizations have also proposed education and awareness programs for children and young people, alongside quarantine and disease-management infrastructure in response to rising infectious diseases.
Champions of Care is designed to provide sustainable solutions that strengthen organizational capacity and reduce reliance on short-term aid. The initiative is expected to expand nationally, welcoming additional animal welfare organizations, fostering knowledge sharing, capacity building and more effective animal welfare approaches, thus creating a more connected response to community animal needs across India.
This initiative extends Vantara’s commitment to Every Life Matters beyond the animals under its direct care, supporting the many animals assisted daily by community welfare organizations nationwide. By partnering with these organizations, Champions of Care seeks to enhance community animal welfare and ensure animals receive care, compassion and dignity.
Eight members of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) attended the event: Girish J. Shah, Rajeev Gupta, IAS (Retd.), Prof. RS Chauhan, Ram Krishan Raghuvanshi, R. Raghu Ram Sharma, Anjali Gopalan, SP Gupta, IAS (Retd.), and Ajit Sharad Kelkar.
The animal welfare organizations participating in Champions of Care include All About Them (Mumbai, Maharashtra); Animal Care Charitable Trust (Khambhalia, Gujarat); Animal Care Trust (Mangaluru, Karnataka); Animal Welfare and Care Services Charitable Trust (Loharka Kalan, Amritsar, Punjab); Arham Always Care (Kalyan, Maharashtra); Asha Foundation (Ahmedabad, Gujarat); ASHRAY (Angels Shelter Home for Rescue Animals) (Haldwani, Uttarakhand); Blue Cross of India (Chennai, Tamil Nadu); CAPE Foundation (Kolkata, West Bengal); Careestray Foundation (Anklav, Gujarat); Chamba Animal Welfare Society (Leh, Ladakh); Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) (Bengaluru, Karnataka); Craeswel Foundation (Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir); Dulari Animal Care Center / Vashundra Animal Welfare Trust (Noida, Uttar Pradesh); Happy Paws Foundation (Mumbai, Maharashtra); Help in Suffering (Jaipur, Rajasthan); Humane Animal Society (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu); In Defense of Animals (Mumbai, Maharashtra); JBF India Trust (Guwahati, Assam); Jivdaya Charitable Trust (Ahmedabad, Gujarat); K-Nine An Animal Welfare Society (Agartala, Tripura); Kashmir Animal Welfare Foundation (Budgam, Jammu & Kashmir); Mypalclub Foundation (Mumbai, Maharashtra); One Roof Animal Care (Jamnagar, Gujarat); Parevda Charitable Trust (Ahmedabad, Gujarat); PAW Kannur (Kannur, Kerala); Pashudhara Jeevrakshak Animal Care Foundation (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh); PAWS Thrissur (Thrissur, Kerala); People for Animals branches in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Gurugram (Haryana), Guwahati (Assam), Khamgaon (Maharashtra), Kollam (Kerala), Kolkata (West Bengal), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Sikkim, and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala); Petanity and Animal Rehabilitators Foundation (Chandrapur, Maharashtra); Purposeful Planet Foundation (Bankura, West Bengal); Rescue Foundation (Ahmedabad, Gujarat); Sanghamitra Animal Foundation (Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh); Save Animals Value Environment (Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir); Straycare (Kullu, Himachal Pradesh); The Feline Foundation (Mumbai, Maharashtra); The Stray Army Charitable Trust (Chakulia/Jamshedpur, Jharkhand); Tree of Life for Animals (Ajmer, Rajasthan); Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Ballari, Karnataka); WEFAA (Thrissur, Kerala); Welfare for Animals in Goa (WAG) (Goa); and World for All Animal Care and Adoptions (Mumbai, Maharashtra).