‘The Tranquile’ — a one of its kind in the world.

Here the sick, the blind, the dying, the abandoned, the orphaned, the used and the abused — and those condemned to death — will be welcomed. They will live their ‘Second Chance’ in life, unfettered and free, healing in the companionship of other animals. The sanctuary will also include a residential retreat centre for sportspersons and athletes, to unwind and heal from the stress, anxiety and burnout so innate to elite sports today. It is established based on the science behind human–animal interactions and animal assisted therapy and healing.

At the Summer Olympics of 2024 in Paris, athletes training at the Olympic trials had a particular request — dogs. Emily Klueh, Manager of the USA Swim team’s Mental Health and Emotional Wellness, stated: ‘So many people find animals as a calming essence.’ In partnership with a non-profit, the USA swim team had therapy dogs available for athletes in their lounges daily, to comfort, calm and motivate them from the trials to the finals.

In our own Indian sports scenario — where cricket comes next to coffee — we are familiar with our cricketers and their pet dogs: Spike and Sachin, Jade and Jemimah, Sam and Dhoni, Simba and Rahul, Dude and Virat, Coco and Ishant, and so many more. These pets need no introduction for the moments of healing, happiness and joy they have rendered between matches.

The idea

The idea in establishing ‘The Tranquile’ is two-fold. First, to provide a forever home for rescued animals in keeping with I-CARE’s primary mission — to promote and practise the Gandhian philosophy of Ahimsa. Second, to build a residential retreat centre of calm and quiet for sportspersons and athletes, where they can rest and unwind in the tranquility of a haven for animals, interacting with animals who live unfettered and free, who have themselves survived and healed from traumatic pasts. There will be no structured or rigid regime — the choice is theirs. This will be the first of its kind in the world where we celebrate the human–animal bond with animals who have healed from their painful pasts and in turn serve to heal us.

The establishment

The complete establishment of ‘The Tranquile’ is to be built on 5–6 acres of land, including individual shelters to cater to close to a thousand rescued animals. It will include an exclusive retirement centre for Tamil Nadu Police and Indian Military horses — perhaps the only NGO to do this in India.

• Dog shelter
• Horse & pony shelter
• Camel shelter
• Cat shelter
• Cattle & donkey shelter
• Goat / sheep shelter
• Pig shelter
• Aviary

The second part of the sanctuary will be a dedicated space with a special residential block for visiting sportsmen and women. Admissions will be limited to five residents at a time, with a maximum stay of five days. The income generated from this centre will be used to take care of the animals, making the establishment hopefully self-sufficient.

The science behind human–animal interactions

Animal assisted therapy and healing is a therapeutic approach that uses animals to enhance the physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing of adults and children. Documented first in the late 18th century at the York Retreat centre in England, the practice has grown in health care, education, sports and other professional fields due to its proven benefits. The top eight established benefits of engaging and interacting with animals:

• Reduces blood pressure
• Reduces heart rate
• Improves respiratory function
• Boosts the immune system
• Increases social interaction
• Improves motor skills, mobility and mindfulness
• Enhances physical activity
• Reduces pain

When interacting with animals, people often experience a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure which can be emotionally and mentally calming. Moreover, the non-judgmental nature of animals can foster trust and calm. Animals are great listeners and offer unconditional love and support — this can be greatly healing in itself and help reduce anxiety and stress.

In a recent study by Varsha Singh et al. (2024), a team from Bengaluru pioneering research on animal assisted therapy for sportspersons in India, particularly cricketers, demonstrated that animal assisted therapy can significantly reduce sports anxiety, athlete burnout and general anxiety among cricket players.

Who will run it

‘The Tranquile’ will be run and maintained by Dr. Shiranee Pereira, given her decades of experience in running animal shelters and as someone who has herself benefited from animal assisted healing — a person who lives detached from the world, living out her passion and purpose 365 days of the year, taking care of the dying, the blind, the sick, the orphaned, the abandoned, the abused and those animals condemned to death.

Sponsorships

All donations made towards the construction and establishment of ‘The Tranquile’ are tax exempt under 80G of the IT Act 1962. CSR funding is also accepted. Donors will be most gratefully acknowledged in the Wall of Fame, which will be a prominent part of the retreat centre for sportsmen and women from both India and abroad.