Mangaluru: Tauseef Ahmed, a prominent animal rescuer from Mangalore, has been awarded the prestigious ‘International Iconic Animal Rescue Hero 2024’ at Mumbai Film City. He was recognized in the social service category for his extensive contributions to rescuing street animals in Mangalore over the past 15 years.
Known as Mister Rescuer on Instagram, Ahmed has rescued over 8,000 street animals, including cats, dogs, reptiles, and birds. Despite facing threats from the cattle mafia, his dedication to animal rescue has not wavered. In 2018, he received the ‘Best Street Care and Rescue Award’ from India for Animals (IFA) in Hyderabad.
Originally from Kudremukh in Chikkamagaluru district, Ahmed moved to Mangalore at a young age and joined the Animal Care Trust (ACT) in 2010. He quickly became a leading rescuer within the trust. During the 2018 Kodagu floods, Ahmed’s team was instrumental in rescuing hundreds of abandoned animals.
In 2019, Ahmed delivered a TEDx talk titled ‘Our Planet, Theirs Too’ at Nitte Deemed to be University, highlighting the importance of protecting both exotic and common animals. Despite holding an MBA and running a real estate firm, Ahmed remains devoted to his mission. He has trained in first aid and basic veterinary treatment to enhance his rescue efforts and authored a book, ‘Straying Around,’ based on his experiences in animal rescue.
