The Backwater Sanctuary
Rescue & Rehabilitation for Working Animals
India’s First Equine Centric Rescue & Rehabilitation
Our Story
The Backwater Sanctuary is located on the backwaters of Kabini, on the border of Karnataka and Kerala.
To further our goals with addressing man-animal conflicts, The Backwater Sanctuary was created as part of BCRTI to bring empathy and compassion towards animals that have suffered in the hands of humans.
With the support of the top Equine Vets and Experts around the world, Zoha Jung, our founder, dedicates her life to ensuring every rescue at the sanctuary is given the best care possible.
From carefully calculated natural feeds and supplements, socialisation and medical treatment, with access to the best equine medical facilities in the country, to ground work, body work and alternative methods of healing including Equine Craniosacral therapy, equine physiotherapy and dry needling - our philosophy, quite simply, is to ensure every animal that comes our way has a fighting chance.
With minimal interference and plenty of space and time to heal, it’s our hope that our rescues will regain their freedom and happiness while we ensure their safety and security, always.
We are also the first and only Equine Sanctuary in India that has an in-house team of vets, engineers and experts from around the globe building prosthetic legs for horses. We currently have two amputees of our own, both successfully galloping on his their prosthetic legs, paving the path for many more.
Addressing a different kind of Man-Animal Conflict.
Working animals, namely equines and ungulates are often overworked, abused and neglected.
Many disabled horses and donkeys have found refuge at our sanctuary.
Meet the Team
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Abhi Gowda
Manager
He started off as a pool cleaner and now manages the Sanctuary. Over the years, Abhi has learned all there is to know about handling large animals. He is now ace with first aid and manages all treatment and care of our residents. He is the heart and soul of our rescue operations. -
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Venkatesh Chandu
Second in Command
Chandu is fantastic with animals and has a natural way with our rescues. He is our right hand man, handling all treatments alongside Abhi and manages the sanctuary while Abhi is away. -
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Bhaskar V
Caretaker
Our Sanctuary would not function without Bhaskar and Prathap, our fantastic caretakers who work hard day and night to keep our stables and paddocks clean and the animals fed and watered.
