WA student organizes Dog-A-Thon to support animal rescue

WESTFORD — After years of seeing injured and malnourished street dogs during family trips to India, Westford Academy student Shivay Dhar wanted to find a way to help.

That desire eventually became the TAKO Foundation, a nonprofit Dhar and his family started in 2023 to help stray and injured animals through rescue efforts, medical care, vaccinations, feeding and support for animal shelters.

Now, Dhar is bringing the organization’s mission to Westford with the TAKO Foundation Dog-A-Thon, a 3K community walk scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Westford Town Common.

Dhar said his concern for stray animals developed as he grew older and became more aware of the conditions facing street dogs he encountered during visits to India.

“I would see dogs limping down the street, one with a wound on its side that seemed like no one had touched in weeks, and others so skinny and undernourished that you could see their bones,” Dhar said.

The death of Dhar’s pet parrot, Taco, when Dhar was 11, further shaped his interest in animal welfare. Dhar said the experience taught him how vulnerable animals can be when signs of illness are not recognized and treated quickly.

TAKO, which stands for Trusted Animal Kare Organization, was named in Taco’s memory.

Since its founding, TAKO has helped more than 350 animals, according to Dhar. About 250 animals have been vaccinated through the organization’s annual summer vaccination drives, and Dhar spends about 10 days in India each summer helping conduct vaccination and food drives across several cities.

The foundation also partnered with an animal shelter in Baroda, India, helping raise money for a mobile ambulance to transport injured animals to hospitals.

“A lot of what we do is much less dramatic than the word ‘rescue’ makes it sound,” Dhar said. “It’s paying for a surgery a shelter can’t afford, finding a veterinarian willing to treat an injured animal, or making dozens of phone calls to coordinate care.”

Dhar said the upcoming Dog-A-Thon is an opportunity to introduce TAKO to more members of the Westford community while raising money for its work.

The event is open to animal lovers with or without dogs. Registration is $20, with proceeds supporting medical care, rescue efforts, vaccinations and shelters working with the foundation.

The event will also include a dog-painting station, a bake sale, beverages, giveaways, and live music. Several local residents, businesses and Dhar’s friends have offered support for the event.

Dhar hopes the event will encourage people to recognize that helping animals does not necessarily require large amounts of money or specialized experience.

“You don’t have to wait until you’re older to act on something you care about,” Dhar said. “TAKO started when I was 14, and I want other young people to know that if something matters to them, they can start making a difference now.”