Building an ecosystem for Animal Welfare
Creating a nurturing environment for animals by advancing care and enhancing welfare.
Safeguarding the future of animal health and well-being
India needs a massive upgrade in veterinary infrastructure, and to improve the future of animal healthcare and well-being, Anil Agarwal Foundation has launched, 'The Animal Care Organization' (TACO).
It is a unique animal welfare project which will provide world-class infrastructure, veterinary services, a training facility, and animal shelters to heal and protect animals.
One of the main focus areas of TACO is to foster humane handling and high-quality veterinary care for India's abundant street and domesticated animals. TACO aims to create access to the best medical practices, medicine, and trained professionals to help animals in need. Stray and abandoned animals are often sick and malnourished. Through our initiative, we will seek out and rescue such animals, and help them lead a decent life by providing food, medical care, and shelter.
Our Vision
A compassionate India where every animal lives with dignity and respect.
Our Mission
To establish a sustainable and scalable ecosystem for the well-being of animals based on the principles of one health.
TACO is a first-of-its-kind animal welfare project which will provide world-class infrastructure, veterinary services, training facilities, and animal shelters. We aim to set up a sustainable and scalable ecosystem for the well-being of animals, in collaboration with NGOs, global academic institutions, and knowledge partners.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar
Non-Executive Director Vedanta Limited
Our Guiding Principle
TACO envisages a compassionate India where all animals enjoy the Five Freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW), to which India is a signatory.
The Five Freedoms are internationally accepted standards of care that affirm every living being's right to humane treatment. The organization aspires to meet the mental and physical needs of animals in our care as per the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare.
Freedom from pain, injury or disease
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom to express most normal behavior
The 3 pillars of TACO
With the mission to cater to the needs of stray and domesticated animals, we are providing best-in-class facilities for animals in need of care, support, and shelter. We realised that animal health professionals are important actors in the ecosystem, thus we have also prioritised developing a skilled workforce of veterinarians and trained workers through academic training programs.
Shelter
- Focus on Rescue, Rehabilitation & Rehoming
- Nutrition & Well-being
- Animal Housing Services
- Geriatric & Palliative Care
Hospital
- Emergency & Rescue Services
- Preventive & Curative Veterinary Care
- Pharmacy, OPD, Diagnostics
- Mobile Health Van & ABC
Academy
- Centre of Excellence
- Resource Centre & Community Outreach
- Knowledge & Skill Development
- R & D Initiatives
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, and knowledge partner, National Veterinary Foundation, to create a sustainable and scalable animal welfare ecosystem.
We are developing a holistic welfare program to address the ever-growing animal health and well-being challenges. Our work will be across a wide spectrum, ranging from medical research to capacity-building programs for professionals and animal handlers, from outreach and advocacy to investment in training animal health professionals. Ultimately, our objective is to create a safe, sustainable, and scalable ecosystem for animal welfare.