Six Decades of Blue Cross of India: From Humble Beginnings to Animal Welfare Standard
The article chronicles the 60+ year history of the Blue Cross of India (BCI), founded in 1964 by Captain V. Sundaram, a pioneering commercial pilot, and his family in Chennai. Starting with rescuing two stranded puppies in 1959, the organization grew from an informal Animal Aid Association into India's most influential animal welfare body. Key contributions include developing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program—a 'catch, sterilize, and return' method—as an alternative to the failed municipal dog culling policy that dated back to 1860. The BCI transitioned from volunteer-run operations to a professionally managed organization with international support by the late 1980s. The World Health Organization endorsed the ABC-AR approach in 1990, and Chennai's municipal corporation stopped culling dogs in 1996. The article highlights the organization's role in filling gaps in civic systems and setting standards for animal welfare in India.
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