Friendicoes SECA (Society for the eradication of cruelty to animals) began in 1975 as a Kindness Club run by a group of schoolchildren headed by Founder President Anuradha Aggarwal Modi till she left to found other organizations like Kare and Holy Cow Foundation. It’s purpose was to create awareness about homeless pets and street animals in distress. Friendicoes registered as a non profit charity on April 23rd 1979. From just two small rooms under a flyover in New Delhi today Friendicoes provides services throughout the Delhi NCR region and in four neighbouring states, through hospitals, clinics, animal shelters and mobile clinics and provides dedicated veterinary help and rehabilitation to all animals in distress, large and small.
Over the last four decades, under the steady guidance of the late Gautam Barat (Ex-treasurer), Simi Dewan (current Treasurer), Geeta Seshamani (present Vice President), and Mandy Seth (present President) we have been providing our services to the animals of Delhi N.C.R. and Gurugram through veterinary care, sheltering, mobile clinics, sterilisation initiatives, adoptions and more. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and care for all abused, abandoned, sick and injured animals, large and small, left to fend for themselves in the streets. Friendicoes is a Registered Society under the Societies Regn Act 1860, and it has an elected Board of Members at its head.
Amanda Seth (President) and Geeta Seshamani (Vice President) seen here with the legendary animal activist Paul O’Grady.
As we complete our 44th year in 2023, our goals, vision and mission remain the same. What has changed is the challenges ahead. While the idea of establishing a shelter was to help sick and injured strays and provide them with a haven to recuperate and recover, with the increasing commercialisation of the pet industry over the years, the concept of animal welfare has changed drastically. Now, abandoned pets, mostly pedigrees, compete with Indies for a spot in shelters as do the breeders rejects and those abandoned and sick from the breeders puppy mills.
Also the use of equines at brick kilns and in market places continues but with smaller incomes and more expensive husbandry for the already impoverished equine owners. Hence the large animals if handicapped in any way or simply old and unable to work, are abandoned. As a result, Friendicoes is currently caring for close to 2000 permanent animals, with a city shelter in South Delhi, a Lifetime Care Sanctuary in Gurgaon and two shelter extensions in Noida and Sohna as well as an Adoption Centre in Gurgaon.
Our Mission
Our mission over the last 44 years has been to serve all abused, sick, injured animals left to fend for themselves on the streets. Our footfall of patients exceeds 40,000 animals annually, mostly strays, community pets or abandoned pets.
Our Vision
Our Vision is a world where man and animal live in harmony and animals no longer suffer cruelty, pain and deprivation, physical or mental. Every animal has access to food and quality health care and no animal works through pain and silent anguish bravely borne.
