Katmandu Animal Treatment Center

The few hours I spent at Kathmandu Animal Treatment (KAT) center were very inspiring, yet I also left with a sense of desperation. Do you know the feeling? Let me explain what happened. (You should know that this blog is as much for you as it is for me. To document my thoughts is very therapeutic and helps me make sense of things. So I am sorry if sometimes I ramble or it seems disjointed. Welcome to my brain.) 

KAT center, think of it like an animal shelter, but the only animal shelter in a city with 30,000 dogs. The majority of these dogs are "community" dogs, meaning they are not owned by any one person, but they are still fairly regularly fed and they stick around the same area. Then there are dogs that are owned, but they are allowed to roam, what we might consider stray dogs in the states. There is not really a concept of "stray" animals here though. People do not walk their dogs. The dogs get exercise by roaming the area. This dog below is one that I pass everyday on my way to work. She is obviously fed and the blanket was placed there by someone. However, I couldn't tell you if she is owned or if she is a community dog. I don't know that there is much difference in the level of care between the two ownership statuses anyway. Also, note that she has had at least one litter of puppies. Very rarely will people take their animals to be sterilized, hence the overpopulation problem.

Back to KAT. People can bring dogs into KAT to have them sterilized and treated for minor issues. More commonly though KAT goes out and picks up dogs, sterilizes and vaccinates them, and returns them to the area where they were picked up. Sound illegal? Well, it would be in the States, but it's completely acceptable here. KAT focuses its efforts on sterilizing females only, and can do about 5-7 dogs every day, depending on the capacity of the kennels, because the animals remain at the clinic for a couple days to recover from surgery. KAT also treats animals for severe skin diseases, mange is very common. This poor guy was only one of many that I came across at KAT. 

I admit that when I first saw this I was angry. Angry that more wasn't being done for these dogs. After an hour or so though, I realized that these are the lucky dogs. These dogs were on the street, but now they are here at KAT, under the supervision of a veterinarian, receiving food, water, and some treatment. Granted, better care could be provided, but there is no worldwide standard of care. That's a battle for another day. 

Also consider that KAT has sponsors, but no government funding. Surprisingly, they do have a lot of the things you will find in a typical clinic, but they lack the quantity. What they have is what other veterinarians have brought and donated to them. While I was there I bumped into a veterinarian from Australia, named Sam. She was at KAT to get a better understanding of what supplies they needed, and then she was going to bring it back with her on her next trip. She also took her first international trip solo and basically she's my role model. 

There are dogs everywhere at KAT. Some are in kennels, but even more are just wandering the premises. There was probably 50 dogs on the property, and only about 20 in kennels. I think some of the dogs decide it's a nice place to stay and just don't leave, like this little guy. He was so incredibly sweet! If you follow me on Instagram @jessie.schneider then you saw a video of me giving him a belly rub. So adorable. 

KAT is an amazing place. The need for what they do can not be sufficiently explained here. If I were in their shoes I would be so overwhelmed and crying out for help all day every day. Instead, they just keep trucking along, doing what they can with what they have. This is what I found so inspiring. They were not discouraged. They have so many excuses to say that they can't do what they do, power cuts, fuel shortage, lack of supplies, limited availability to water, etc., but that doesn't stop them. They continue working with a smile on their face. I have absolutely no room to complain, about anything. I feel like because I have been blessed with more than they, I have an even greater responsibility to the animals, to the world, however, you want to think of it. I anticipated this trip would give me new perspective. I've only been here a week and my world is forever changed.