India, Jan. 20 -- Maneka Gandhi, former Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha and the Founder-Chairperson of People For Animals (PFA), India's largest animal welfare organisation, writes about the need for a Union to protect the rights of animal feeders. -Ed

Dear Animal Lover,

There are thousands of feeders and animal caretakers in every city. Most of them work alone. All of them are vulnerable to daily harassment, abuse and physical violence.

The Police do not take animal-related cases seriously. However, we have seen that when the animal welfare group comes together and protests then harassment stops, the Police listens and sanity and harmony in the community are restored.

Animal welfare is getting bigger all the time. But unle...