“Every animal on this planet deserves to live in decent conditions, as much as you and me.”
With this vision in mind, a 22-year-old animal lover and activist Zabi Khan launched the first-ever animal sanctuary in Hyderabad called ‘A Place To Bark,’ intending to provide safe and secure shelters to stray and disabled animals.
As It Happened:
Md. Zabi Khan was born on June 11th, 1997, in Hyderabad, Telangana. He belonged to an average middle-class family, with less money in the pocket and big dreams to afford. He did his schooling in Hyderabad and afterward got admitted to KG Reddy College of Engineering and Technology, a private engineering college situated in Hyderabad.
Foundation – A Place To Bark
Zabi Khan started working for animal rights when he was 13 years old and, at the age of 16, started his shelter called ‘A Place to Bark.’ In his early 18s, he effectively convinced his college authorities to open up an animal sanctuary on the campus of KG Reddy college.
Zabi Khan’s Career:
Zabi started working for the rights and welfare of stray animals when he was almost 13 years old. It all started with an abandoned puppy being rescued by him from the streets who couldn’t survive for more than 2-3 days. The saddening death of the puppy left him shattered into pieces.
“That incident left a deep mark on me, and I wanted to be the voice of the voiceless animals in need,” – says Zabi Khan.
After this incident left him heartbroken, Zabi opened a shelter for stray animals, especially dogs utilizing his own pocket money. In 2014, he enrolled this NGO called “A Place to Bark,” where hurt & lost stray animals find shelter with peace & protection. He additionally began another sanctuary close to his home in Hyderabad with the help & support of his family. He likewise persuaded his college authorities successfully to set up a sanctuary for deserted animals in the college compound. He has saved more than 5000 animals so far.
A Place To Bark has effectively made an independent, self-overseeing framework in his college where they have a group of 40 student volunteers divided into 7 clusters that deal with all the protected animals in the safe house. Zabi Khan is trying to repeat this model in different schools and universities. The endeavor has done 300+ rescues and 500+ adoptions in a range of 2 years, alongside a half-year follow-up on the appropriations.
Place of Bark Society runs different exercises: animal adoption, managing severe cases, rescuing lost animals, giving clinical help to the harmed creatures, safeguarding mishandled creatures from miserable conditions, spreading awareness through different occasions, and spreading awareness in schools and universities, etc.
Also, presently, he has started an animal sanctuary in Hyderabad on a one-section of land. This sanctuary will carefully have NO CAGE strategy, except if a creature has an ailment that warrants him to be alone. They additionally plan to have a 500 square feet play zone and, inevitably, a pool too. Zabi and different volunteers will save creatures and restore them in this shelter.
Even though Zabi has made the initial move towards building the sanctuary, his efforts do not stop there!
Awards and Praises:
He achieved an enormous appreciation, love, and fan following on his online media handles for his enthusiastically performing social works. He was highlighted in many official statements and won many prestigious awards for his works. In addition, he has conveyed a few talks at renowned places regarding animal rights and welfare.
Zabi Khan got numerous distinctions and honors for his social works. He got the honor of “Public Youth Icon for Humility” in 2018 furthermore turned into the “Pride of Telangana” later in the same year. In 2017, he additionally got the honor of “Ashoka Youth Venturer and Rise Young Citizen.”
In 2019, he likewise got the honor of the best volunteers of India, “V-Award 2019” from the United Nations. Alongside these high honors, Zabi is also a nominee for India’s one of the most elevated non-military personnel grants, “Padma Shree,” a year ago.
He needs to guarantee that the sanctuary he began runs consistently, even in his nonappearance. So in an inspiring signal, the KG Reddy college is offering an Animal Rights Activist scholarship of 4 lakh rupees. We wonder, on the off chance that one adolescent with his grit and determination can make a change this way, one can easily imagine where we will be if all youths discover their motivation and assurance.
Alongside his social works, Zabi Khan made his on-screen debut in the famous reality show called “MTV Roadies” season 18 as a member. He intrigued the show’s judges in the tryout round and got chosen for the further journey of the show.
“Youngsters need to feel like their existence is making a difference in the world and their life has a true meaning.” Says Zabi.
It’s all about inspiring others and doing what he can to help any animal who needs help. And make people understand that they are also capable of making a change in society.
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