When people say life is full of pitfalls, they usually mean it as a metaphor. But as Animal Rahat can attest, life is literally full of “pit falls” and other hazards for animals in India. Fortunately, thanks to the help of generous supporters, the group is there for those animals.

Who knows how this donkey fell into this pit? Perhaps he jumped backward to dodge a speeding vehicle and his back legs landed near the pit’s opening and then slid down, leaving him unable to regain his footing. However he got there, he was stuck.

Fortunately, an officer at a nearby police station saw him and called Animal Rahat for assistance. Arriving within minutes, the rescue team recruited the help of eight police staff and pulled the donkey out. An Animal Rahat veterinarian then examined him and administered a painkiller. Another team member gave him water and biscuits, and soon afterward, the donkey felt relaxed enough to begin grazing. The police then filled the pit with dirt, and Animal Rahat reunited the animal with his owner.

There was no way for this young puppy to fall into this newly constructed septic tank, because there was no opening at the top, yet she somehow crawled through a tiny opening on the side. The septic tank’s owner heard her crying and drilled a hole in the top, but was unable to retrieve her on his own. That’s when he called Animal Rahat.

With patience and impressive skill, a staff member lowered a rope loop into the tank, “lassoed” the puppy around her torso, and gently lifted her out. Look how small the opening was—the rescue must have been like building a ship in a bottle!

She eagerly ate the biscuits and drank the water offered to her, was spayed by Animal Rahat a few days later, and is now being cared for by the staffer’s uncle.