FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions we hear most.
Organised around the four domains of our work – People, Animals, Nature and the Environment.
PEOPLE
Working with us
Give your time to field programs, nature walks, school sessions and community drives. Write to contact@darkgrey-mole-320697.hostingersite.com with the subject “Volunteering with ATWAS” and we will match you to what is coming up.
Yes. Capacity building is one of our core pillars – we have trained Police and Forest officers, animal husbandry personnel, teachers, and community groups on animal welfare law, coexistence and conservation practice. Institutions can write to us to plan a program.
Absolutely. Our education and awareness sessions for students and teachers are interactive and curriculum-friendly. Reach out and we will design a session for your institution.
Yes. ATWAS Foundation is registered under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act. After donating, fill in our donation form and we will send your receipt and 80G certificate.
ANIMALS
Helping animals
Keep your distance and do not attempt to handle or feed it – stress can be fatal and handling wildlife is regulated by law. Call the Karnataka Forest Department helpline 1926 and stay nearby to guide responders if it is safe.
Document safely, call the police on 112 or visit the closest police station and ask for a complaint under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Our step-by-step guide covers the process and the key sections of the law – see the Report Cruelty page under Our Work.
Under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, street dogs cannot be relocated; they must be sterilised, vaccinated and returned to the same area. Contact your local municipal body or panchayat for ABC-related issues and the police for cruelty.
We promote Adopt, Don’t Shop and assist with the rehabilitation and adoption of community dogs. Write to us and we will connect you to current adoption needs.
NATURE
Walks, surveys & wild spaces
Yes, our walks are designed for first-timers as much as seasoned naturalists. Easy pace, small groups and a guide to point out what you would otherwise miss. Watch the Events page for upcoming walks.
Over a few easy kilometres we look at birds, butterflies, insects and native plants, and unpack the ecological stories connecting them. Most walks end with more questions than answers – which is the point.
Surveys establish an ecological baseline – what lives where – so that conservation decisions rest on evidence. Our surveys in Dharwad district have also inspired others to protect habitat on their own land.
ENVIRONMENT
One Health & coexistence
One Health recognises that the health of people, animals and ecosystems is inextricably linked – you cannot protect one while neglecting the others. It guides everything ATWAS does, from education to conflict mitigation.
Stay calm, keep people and pets away, and never corner or chase the animal – most encounters end safely when the animal is given space and an exit. If it is injured or does not move on, call the Forest Department on 1926.
Our programs advance UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health), 4 (education), 15 (life on land), 16 (strong institutions) and 17 (partnerships), delivered with government and non-government partners.
