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TACO- The Animal Care Organization

Building an Ecosystem for Animal Welfare

Creating a Holistic Animal
Welfare Ecosystem

Launched in April 2022, TACO is a unique animal welfare project, that provides topnotch infrastructure, veterinary services, training, and shelter facilities. Extending its services, TACO adopted the Tapobhoomi cow shelter in Faizupur Khadar, Faridabad to create best-in-class facilities for animal care through an MoU signed with the Government of Haryana. TACO’s existing animal shelter offers preventive veterinary care, rescue, rehabilitation, housing services, geriatric & palliative care, and nutrition to stray & abandoned animals for free. It also provides free OPD services to livestock & pet animals owned by the community. The super specialty veterinary hospital is prioritizing advanced animal healthcare, preventive care, spaying and neutering, diagnostics, and mobile emergency units.

Our Vision

A compassionate India where every animal lives with dignity and respect.

Our Mission

To establish a world class sustainable and scalable ecosystem for the wellbeing of animals based on the principles of One Health.

TACO is a first-of-its-kind animal welfare project which is providing world-class infrastructure, veterinary services, training facility and animal shelters. We aim to set up a sustainable and scalable ecosystem for the well-being of animals, in collaboration with global academic institutions and knowledge partners.

Ms. Priya Agarwal Hebbar

Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd.
Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Ltd.

The Six Pillars of TACO

With the mission to cater to the needs of animals, we are providing best-in-class facilities for animals in need of care, support, and shelter with our six pillars, namely, Shelter (to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome sick or injured animals), Hospital (to create state-of-the-art hospitals for animals in need of care), Academy (to educate and train the veterinarians, paraprofessionals, community and animal welfare NGOs), Wildlife (to focus on conservation & welfare), Disaster Relief (rescuing animals in disaster hit areas) and Sector Development (supporting local NGOs, animal welfare champions).

Shelter

Focus on Rescue, Rehabilitation & Rehoming
Nutrition & Well Being
Animal Housing Services
Geriatric & Palliative Care

Hospital

Emergency & Rescue Services
Preventive and Curative Veterinary Care
Pharmacy, OPD, Diagnostics
Mobile Health Van & ABC

Academy

Center of Excellence
Resource Center & Community Outreach
Knowledge & Skill Development
R & D Initiatives

Wildlife Conservation

Contributing to Maintenance of Sanctuaries.
Contributing to Reduce Human-Animal Conflict.
Awareness Generation among Public.
Support for Rehabilitation of Injured Animals.

Disaster Relief

Providing animal care in instances of natural calamities/national level exigencies
Temporary Sheltering/ Re-Homing
Collaboration with local NGOs/ Volunteers in Rescue Work
Technology Interventions in Disaster Relief

Sector Development

Conferences / Conclaves on Animal Welfare
Collaboration within AAF Initiatives
Publication/ Newsletters
Collaborating with NGOs/Animal welfare champions/ schools & colleges

Highlights

Project Launch

Anil Agarwal Foundation signed an MoU with the Government of Haryana & adopted a cow shelter to create best-in-class facilities for animals in need of care.

Shelter

Hospital

Wildlife Conservation

Disaster Relief Efforts

Veterinary Training Academy

Sector Development

Community Engagement

Employee Engagement

Partnerships

Shelter

Houses injured & sick abandoned stray animals
Best-in-class infrastructure supplemented with Solar Power & Biogas plant
3 acres of self-sustaining fodder plot fulfilling nutritional requirements for cattle
Equipped with silage unit and vermicompost unit
Fenced fodder area for cows to graze
Dedicated quarantine zone for newly admitted animals
Dedicated areas for visually impaired, unwell cattle & aggressive bulls
Surrounded by reinforced fences ensuring secure environment

Hospital

Multi-specialty veterinary hospital for treating the animals in need
Ambulance for sick & injured animals
Mobile Health Van for doorstep medical services
Animal Birth Control Unit to control stray animal population in Faridabad

Wildlife Conservation

‘Mission Vanraksha’ at Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, Assam to build surveillance centre & dwelling units to aid conservation efforts
Partnership with Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Bundi District, Rajasthan to build anti-poaching camps & to provide surveillance vehicles
Jambeshwar Environment & Wildlife Society in Barmer District, Rajasthan to build fodder store, drinking water facility, tree plantation & aid in functioning of an ambulance

Disaster Relief Efforts

Fed stray animals during Covid 19 through local animal welfare organizations and animal feeders
Flood relief and rescue activities for animals and community in flood affected villages in Faridabad, Haryana
Fed the stray animals affected by Delhi NCR floods in collaboration with local animal welfare organization

Veterinary Training Academy

Training imparted to the community with prime focus on women, in partnership with National Dairy Development Board Dairy Services (NDDB DS) on topics like livestock management, fodder cultivation & Ethnoveterinary medicine for livestock
Trainings sessions conducted for veterinary staff at the TACO shelter on topics like animal reproductive health, silage making training, etc.
Knowledge sharing & training sessions conducted between Worldwide Veterinary Services & TACO for continual development of the team
Sessions conducted with school children & community in partnership with Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) to sensitize them towards animals

Sector Development

Celebration of International Dog Day by felicitating the heroes feeding over 400 dogs daily
Conducted Walkathon & launched #WaterBowlChallenge during summers with the students of Department of Social Work, University of Delhi to raise awareness on animal welfare
Joined hands with Bhumi Pednekar’s Climate Warrior to conduct walkathon & launch #WaterBowlChallenge in Mumbai
Provided water bowls and urged people to look after the stray animals by providing them with water during summers

Community Engagement

Celebration of topical days like Animal Welfare Day, World Rabies Day, International Dog Day, etc. involving the community
Special awareness sessions conducted in schools and community to sensitize them towards animal welfare
Awareness sessions organized in schools & communities on first aid tips for injured animals

Employee Engagement

Celebration of World Rabies Day by vaccinating stray dogs against Rabies & collaring them at business unit locations of Vedanta & at TACO Shelter
Celebrated International Tiger Day at various Business Units & Nand Ghars
#WaterBowlChallenge initiated at business units and Nand Ghars to provide drinking water to animals during scorching heat
Freedom from Hunger campaign organized at BUs to feed stray animals on Independence Day

Partnerships

Partnered with Fujifilm for health screening of the cattle housed at the shelter
Partnered with Pedigree India for free of cost dog food for the strays

Sustainable. Scalable.
Responsible.

TACO has set out to transform the animal welfare ecosystem through a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach. TACO has teamed up with implementing agency YODA, to create a sustainable and scalable animal welfare ecosystem.

We have developed a holistic welfare program for animals in need. The project goes much beyond provision of sheltering and free medical services for animals. We work across a wide spectrum, ranging from medical research to capacity-building programs for professionals and animal handlers, from outreach and advocacy to expansion of TACO to different states. Ultimately, our objective is to create a safe, sustainable, and scalable ecosystem for animal welfare.

Impact Till
Sept’24

171

Total animals provided shelter

64,906

Number of total animal beneficiaries treated through animal health camps & other animal welfare initiatives in collaboration with Business Units and Nand Ghars

4850

Number of animals rescued during natural calamities in Delhi & Haryana

06

Number of sectoral engagement activities

04

Number of wildlife interventions

1299

Number of animals vaccinated at TACO shelter & through BUs

12000+

No of animals benefitted through feeding drives conducted by BUs, NGs & TACO shelter

40000+

No of animals benefitted through water bowls distributed via BUs, NGs & TACO shelter

2872

Number of farmers benefitted through animal OPD services

902

Number of farmers benefitted through awareness sessions & training

15

Number of initiatives at school and colleges

Contribution to
Sustainable Development Goals

Directly Aligned With the SDGs

Awards and Accolades

‘CSR Excellence Award’ at the District CSR Meet
by Government of Haryana in Jan’23

Award by National Veterinary Foundation for
TACO’s contribution to the profession in Mar’23

‘NVF Ratna One Health Award’ by National Veterinary
Foundation for grateful contribution to the profession in Feb’24

‘NVF Industry Appreciation Award’ by National
Veterinary Foundation for grateful contribution to the profession in Feb’24

‘CSR Impact Award’ by Sewa International
for making a positive & meaningful social contribution in Jan’24

‘Award of Appreciation’ by Worldwide Veterinary
Service (WVS) for supporting continued Veterinary Education & stray animal vaccination camps in Feb’24

Case Studies

Compassion in Action: Life-Saving Rescue and Recovery of a Bull

In May 2024, the TACO team rescued a bull suffering from severe urinary incontinence in Arua village, Haryana. Our veterinary doctors identified paraphimosis, a condition preventing the bull from urinating, worsened by a maggot-infested wound. To relieve this, they performed minor surgery with mild sedation and local nerve block, then thoroughly cleaned the wound. Post-surgery, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication, along with daily wound dressings, led to full healing within 15 days. The bull has since recovered and is living pain-free.

Female Calf gets a second chance at life!

In February 2024, a 6-month-old female calf with a severe right metacarpal fracture was rescued and admitted to TACO Shelter. Found in extreme pain and unable to stand, veterinary doctors reduced the fracture under local anesthesia and immobilized it with a plaster cast. The calf received palliative care and was closely monitored; she began bearing weight on the injured leg in three weeks. Within six weeks, the fracture healed completely, and she is now enjoying a healthy life in the shelter.