Over a dozen animals are paralyzed from the waist down, and many are recovering from horrific injuries (legs, ears, eyes, and snouts amputated), but they are all running, barking, playing happily, knowing they are loved and safe.
New family member
Four years ago, after much persuasion from her husband, Shrestha finally agreed to have a puppy. In the end, they bought two puppies, but Shrestha insisted that they be bought from a breeder – she did not want street dogs to live in her house.
One of the puppies, a dog named Zara, quickly became Shrestha’s favorite: “She was more than a family member to me. She was like a child to me.” Zara waited at the gate every day for Shrestha and her husband to return from work. Shrestha started getting up earlier to walk the dogs and spend time with them.
But one day, at the end of the day, no one met Shrestha. Shrestha found the dog inside, vomiting blood. She was poisoned by a neighbor who did not like her barking. Despite desperate attempts to save her, Zara died four days later. Shrestha was devastated. “In Hindu culture, when a family member dies, we don’t eat anything for 13 days. I made this for my dog.”
New life
After the story with Zara, Shrestha began to look at street dogs differently. She began to feed them, carrying dog food with her everywhere. She began to notice how many dogs were getting injured and in desperate need of veterinary care. Shrestha started paying for a place at a local kennel to give the dogs shelter, care and regular meals. But soon the nursery overflowed. Shrestha didn’t like that. She also did not like that she was not in charge of keeping the animals in the kennel, so, with the support of her husband, she sold the house and opened a shelter.
Place for dogs
Her shelter has a team of veterinarians and animal technicians, as well as volunteers from all over the world who come to help the dogs recover and find new homes (although some animals live at the shelter full-time).
Partially paralyzed dogs also live in the shelter. People often ask Shrestha why she doesn’t put them to sleep. “My father was paralyzed for 17 years. We never thought about euthanasia. My father could speak and explain to me that he wanted to live. Maybe these dogs also want to live. I have no right to euthanize them,” she says.
Shrestha can’t buy wheelchairs for dogs in Nepal, but she buys them abroad: “When I put partially paralyzed dogs in wheelchairs, they run faster than four-legged ones!”
Vegan and animal rights activist
Today, Shrestha is a vegan and one of the most prominent animal rights activists in Nepal. “I want to be a voice for those who don’t have one,” she says. Recently, Shrestha successfully campaigned for the Nepalese government to pass the country’s first Animal Welfare Act, as well as new standards for the use of buffalo in India’s harsh transport conditions in Nepal.
The animal rights activist was nominated for the title of “Youth Icon 2018″ and entered the top XNUMX most influential women in Nepal. Most of its volunteers and supporters are women. “Women are full of love. They have so much energy, they help people, they help animals. Women can save the world.”
Changing world
“Nepal is changing, society is changing. I was never taught to be kind, but now I see local children visiting the orphanage and donating their pocket money to it. The most important thing is to have humanity. And not only people can teach you humanity. I learned it from animals,” says Shrestha.
Zara’s memory keeps her motivated: “Zara inspired me to build this orphanage. Her picture is next to my bed. I see her every day and she encourages me to help animals. She’s the reason this orphanage exists.”
Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals