RESCUING MOMO

RESCUING MOMO: A DOG STORY FROM NEPAL

There are estimated to be more than 22,000 dogs on the streets of Kathmandu, and many thousands more all across Nepal in villages and cities alike.

Dogs have a complicated status in Nepal, and while the majority are street dogs of various descriptions, there are some kept as pets or even guard dogs. Sometimes dogs are part owned, shared or cared for by a community, family or village, while some are, of course, completely stray. Sometimes animals are just part of the street scene, sometimes they are status symbols for the wealthy or even celebrated as part of the festival of Tihar, but sometimes they are targets for abuse or even ill advised culls.

Barbara Webb from HART (Himalayan Animal Rescue Trust) says that “the normal lifespan of a street dog is estimated to be around three years, and the hazards of street life ensure that most puppies do not survive.”

Often street dogs are treated with disregard more than contempt, but of course there are sadly many incidences of animal cruelty, as witnessed first hand by Harri Croom when she met a street dog she later named Momo.

It's very challenging for Westerners visiting Nepal to witness such cruelty, but it also saddens many Nepalis too. Many families and communities do what they can to care for the dogs in their community, but dogs do pose many challenges and can even be dangerous if mistreated.

Momo was just a tiny puppy when she was rescued by Harri and her boyfriend Freddie Fielder, but had Harri not seen her and had she survived she would have been one of thousands upon thousands of dogs with virtually no chance of rescue. Furthermore, if Momo continued to scrape by, her life would be full of hardship possibly with permanent injuries hampering her ability to find food or even to become a stable member of a community.

The Backdrop got in contact with numerous animal welfare organisations in Nepal to understand what the current situation is for dogs in Nepal and what else can be done for them.

Webb was immediately available to shed further light on the situation. “We've been working in Nepal for the past seven years and from the dog welfare aspect there's positive change,” she said.

“There's less culling and the impact of spay/neuter programmes is understood though unfortunately there's only HART and a few others able to deliver these programmes. On the downside there seems to be increased trade in pedigree dogs and still a lack of understanding as to what constitutes a good life for a dog.”

When we spoke about Momo, Webb said that HART are “often approached by tourists who have fallen for a dog. We normally advise that they try and find a local caregiver who will stay in touch with them and will feed and look after the animal.”

“It is incredibly striking and challenging as a visitor to Nepal to see so many dogs often in sad situations and to comprehend the complexity of the situation,” Webb added.

“It's not immediately obvious that there is much hope for street dogs, and even when delving further, people can encounter the reality that: There are only a handful of sanctuaries. These are full and while one or two are fantastic, many are just prisons. So most dogs are best on the street in the category we define as "free roaming owned.

“They get food, some vet care and some attention and are not tethered or caged and can enjoy interacting with other dogs. The downside is that they may get run over, diseased, or that their caregiver may move away.”

In Momo's case, Harri and Freddie weren't able to find a local sanctuary or caregiver solution. They had remarkable resolve in putting in the time and resources to care for Momo themselves. Webb acknowledges that now “it's easier than it used to be to take dogs out of Nepal and the procedures can be arranged fairly easily, so, if the potential owners can find the resources, then why not?”

She also added that from a financial perspective, funds directed through organisations like HART can go a long way to providing “vet care, assistance and food for many, many others that are left behind.”

Nepal still has one of the lowest GDPs in Asia, and animal welfare requires funding, not just for animal rescue but also to further education and understanding. Compassion though is a remarkable driver of change, and is always worthwhile, whether it be displayed in acts like an individual rescue or a simple contribution to the ongoing efforts of organisations like HART.

For any further information, take a look at HART's website here

If you would like to donate, you can do so very simply here

If you are in Nepal, some data on dog numbers and vaccination can be accessed here, you can even look at individual streets in their census here

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