About us

Small nonprofit. Direct impact.

Padma Animal believes that helping animals shouldn't require a middle layer. We find the people already doing the hardest work, and we get them what they need.

Our story

How we began

Padma Animal started with a simple idea: find shelters doing extraordinary work with almost no resources, and send them help directly. That led us to three partners in Nepal and India who were feeding, treating, and sheltering animals nobody else was going to help.

Working alongside them showed us the next gap. Their vets were skilled and dedicated, but often working without basic supplies, while clinics in the US routinely retire usable equipment and materials. So we grew: today we bridge that gap, sponsor individual medical cases, and advocate for animals in every system where they're treated as products rather than beings.

What we do

Four ways we work

Fund partner shelters

Direct, ongoing support to three shelters in Nepal and India for food, shelter, and routine veterinary care.

Deliver medical supplies

We collect surplus supplies and equipment from US clinics and hospitals and get them to the veterinarians who need them.

Sponsor medical cases

When an animal needs a costly procedure, we raise the funds transparently and report back with updates and photos.

Advocate for all animals

We share what happens to animals in farming, testing, and entertainment, and give people concrete ways to respond.

Educate our community

Practical guidance on plant-based eating, responsible pet care, and how to help animals in your own neighborhood.

Every dollar counts

Every dollar makes a huge difference in the lives of these animals. The shelters we support dedicate their lives to this work and rely on the generosity of others, so your gift goes straight to helping animals.

What we believe

Every animal, without exception.

Our name comes from the lotus. Our founder, Pema, is Tibetan, and Pema and Padma are the same word: it means lotus. In Tibetan culture, the lotus is beloved because it grows only in muddy, difficult conditions, and yet it blooms into something beautiful. It's a symbol of growth and beauty rising out of hardship.

That idea is what inspired this nonprofit. The animals we help, and the people who care for them, are often in the hardest of circumstances, and yet from that hardship comes tenderness, rescue, and hope. We believe beauty and kindness can grow from the most difficult places, and that every animal deserves the chance to be part of that.

Suffering matters wherever it happens, and to whomever it happens.
Help should be direct, traceable, and honest about what it accomplishes.
Local caretakers know best, our job is to resource them, not direct them.
The companies and farms that profit from animals work hard to keep their suffering hidden, so most people never see it. Our job is to become more aware, and to help others see it too.
Your actions matter. You really can make a difference in the life of an animal.
Small actions repeated by many people are how things actually change.

Get involved

There's a place for you here

We're always looking for volunteers, for outreach to clinics, translation, social media, fundraising, and events. No experience required, just care and a little time.

Volunteer with us

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you'd like to help. We'll get back to you personally.

Email us