A Modern Practitioner of the Ethical Teachings of Jainism: An Interview with Mr. Gaurav Jain, Part 2 of 3

After serving as a volunteer with the animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in India for about 10 years, Mr. Jain saw a need for more protection of birds. Therefore, he started a non-profit organization called Sansthanam Abhay Daanam Charitable Bird Hospital, with the mission to provide medication, food, shelter and care to injured or ill birds and other animals, especially those without caregivers. The Jain teachings of nonviolence run through every aspect of the hospital’s operation. “We have decided: to save one living being, we should not kill another living being, whether or not we are killing another living [being] directly or indirectly. We have made this principle. We do not euthanize the birds. Also we do not give them any meat or dairy products. There are a lot of alternatives we have discovered. We also chant the Namokar Mantra 24 hours.”