The first seeds of our story were planted on a beach in Sri Lanka when veterinary nurse Rachel Wright helped a stray dog who was unable to eat. By simply befriending the dog and removing a stick that was blocking the roof of her mouth, Rachel was able to help that one animal that was suffering. ‘If I can do that with my little first aid kit, what could I do with a whole hospital?’
Rachel realised that even the greatest changes must start somewhere and from that one dog the idea to create an animal hospital took root. Later, when Rachel visited Ajmer and saw how the street dogs were being treated, she knew she had found the place to plant her Tree of Life and TOLFA was established on a barren piece of land. Today we are a caring oasis with a wonderful team and the facilities to care for up to 600 animals at any one time.
TOLFA has been helping animals in India since we opened on World Animals Day – 4th October 2005.
The video below was made to mark our 15th anniversary and gives a real insight into the hard work and dedication that has gone into growing our Tree of Life for Animals
We are proud that Rachel and TOLFA have been internationally recognised for our work over the years. Here are some of the awards we have received.