A few years ago, a man arrived at our shelter with a box containing three adorable one-month-old puppies. He explained that their mother had died in a car accident.
The man said he took the three puppies to take care of as they were all alone in the streets. while he had cared for them for a week, he could no longer keep them because of his family.
He brought the motherless puppies all the way from Bhaktapur, pleading with us to take them in. We agreed, hoping to find them a loving home and he promised to revisit them.
Unfortunately, the man never returned or called, perhaps believing his responsibility ended there. Despite, the man didn’t return, we couldn’t abandon these puppies.
We decided to keep them at our shelter and we named them Jasmin, Kanthuli Musi, and Tanturey. Sadly, Jasmin and Tanturey passed away at the age of five due to stomach disease and distemper respectively.
Jasmin and Tanturey were the heart and soul of our fur family. They loved meeting people and were always the first to welcome visitors.
Jasmin, in particular, was a favorite among many. Their passing broke our hearts, but we take solace in knowing that if not for our shelter, their fate could have been much worse.
They had a short, yet happy life filled with love. However, Kanthuli is still with us, happy and healthy.
This story highlights the initial empathy people feel but also shows how easily they can move on, thinking the problem is resolved by passing it on to someone else.
Animal welfare requires a collective effort. Without it, the condition of animals in our communities in Nepal will not improve.
Did you know that in Kathmandu alone, there are approximately 25,000 street dogs? Only a handful of organizations with shelters exist, each with limited capacity ranging from 10 to 300 animals.
Sheltering every dog is impossible without community involvement. However, if everyone helps at least one animal from their area, the future for animals will undoubtedly be brighter.
I understand that space, family, or societal support may be limited, and this is a common challenge for many animal lovers. However, what matters most is willpower.
I hope you enjoy the story of our three lovely dogs, Kanthuli, Jasmin, and Tanturey.
What do you think about the community working together to make the lives of street animals in Nepal better?
Please share your thoughts on the comment section.
