01-07-09

Now let me explain why I am excited about KAT. Their moto is Community Benefity from Humane Management of Street Dogs. Wow, so not only are these people amazing animal lovers but they totally understand that if you teach compassion and love for animals then the whole community will grow. Also, if you treat animals for mange and other horrible things then people will take pride in these animals, diseases won't be spread and the quality of life will go up. Wonderful. I visited the centre today and just loved life. There is a family that lives in the Centre's grounds. The parents work in the centre and the 5 year old and 9 year old daughter and son go to school and then spend their nights with the dogs that are being rehabilitated in the centre. What a cool life. There are "lifers" at the centre like little Tara (star) who is the lovely dog who hops around like a pogo stick and Jango, a giant Himalayan who sustained 2 broken legs but gets on with life as if usual. There is a puggy little blind dog who I am in love with who is shy at first but then will love you to bits if you scratch her rump. She is amazing because when she plays with the other dogs they are completely submissive to her. She is blind but she still controls the pack. There are also dogs who will be adopted out because they were street dogs but they are too lovely to go back onto the street and they are good candidates for adoption. There are also ferals who will be treated for mange (or any condition they have), sterialized and then let loose in the area they were found.

There is such great work going on here buy only a handful of people. Its really, REALLY inspiring to see the beautiful work that is being done for these animals and this organization is only 5-ish years old. I recommend you check out the website as soon as you can. If you can donate any amount of money I know it will be appreciated. Even a little bit of money can go a long, long way in Nepal. These dogs (and three cats) would appreciate it more then you could know.

The centre is preparing for the winter rains so they are deseperately going to all the shops they can in a day and asking for cardboard boxes so the dogs have some kind of refuge in their kennels. It can get in the minus degrees here at night - for a dog with no fur because of mange, life can be quite cold.

I will be working primarily with the communications officer. My work with Best Friends has made me an expert with 'dog journalism' and the fact that I am a 24 year old girl means inherently I am a computer wiz. I will be spending time helping make their internet site better and reworking their templates so make them user friendly so newsletters (etc) can be written and sent out.

I am really excited about this opporunity. I have experienced so much in such a short time here in Nepal. Holy cow (literally in Nepal) I am a lucky girl.

Pura Vida