The Darjeeling Animal Shelter was founded in 1993 by Christine and Jeremy Townend, with the initial purpose of supporting animal welfare in the region, inspired by Christine Townend's work with the Animal Liberation movement in Australia and the Help in Suffering (HIS) shelter in Jaipur.

The shelter is located in the suburb of Le Bong, in West Bengal in India, and was established to address animal suffering through programs like catching, vaccinating, spaying, and releasing stray dogs, as well as rescuing animals from poisoning. A sister shelter was later opened in Kalimpong  in 1998. Both shelters are in the north of the country near the border with Nepal.  

Today, both shelters offer state-of-the-art medical care with X-ray machines and blood testing facilities as well as a full suite of surgical procedures.

Emergency surgery, Animal Birth Control and Rabies vaccinations have transformed the stray animal populations in both areas and greatly improved the lives of humans as well.

The Animal ambulance and shelter clinics work around the clock to care for sick and injured animals, while the shelters offer a safe and loving environment to those recovering and awaiting adoption or reintroduction into their local communities.