I am 59 years old Shobha Budhathoki from Kalanki, Kathmandu. I have been living the caretaker’s life for many dogs and cats I have been rearing. I have been a sensitive person regarding treatment of animals since my childhood. I started caring for a few dogs and cats on my surrounding after I felt they didn’t have anyone to make them feel loved. This is a self-funded service that I have been doing for the past twenty-five years.
Currently, I have 5 dogs, 2 cats and their 2 kittens under my motherly embrace. I maintain a proper space for their accommodation and provide them food and water on my own expense. I live with my husband, daughter and granddaughters. But I like to count all my pets as members too. I feel like it’s a noble work to care for creatures that get neglected otherwise. My four-legged friends have hurt me a few times. But I have never blamed them. Instead, I criticize myself for failing to understand their needs properly. It breaks my heart to see people treating animals around them cruelly. I call them out if I happen to witness any kind of such violence. People used to give me strange looks when they saw me buying food to feed the dogs but because of how firm and consistent I am in my belief that animals too deserve love and kindness, many of them have started showing change. They are now more compassionate towards stray dogs and cats.
It is these simple examples we as humans can set to make life bearable for all life forms.