Lama has also been looking after six other dogs she picked up from the streets. She said that she provides food to them but does not allow them to enter inside her home, as she fears they might hurt other small dogs. [break]
"I trust dog more than humans. The happiness they give me cannot be compensated by others," she adds. She says that her dogs are like family members to her.
Lama says she never leaves her dogs alone at home. When she visits her maternal home, she takes them along. Lama gleefully remembered an incident when she argued with a big mob. She was at her maternal home in Mahipi, Kathmandu and the Maoists had called a general strike on the day. A crowd of Maoist supporters was marching past her maternal home when a man in the crowd of marchers hurt one of her dogs.
"At that time I didn´t care how many of them were there, I just came out and shouted at them. It makes me laugh, when I remember that incident," she says.
Lama said that she had taken both of her female pugs to hospital when they were about to give birth. "I took them to hospital fearing complications," she said. Employees at the Kathmandu Animal Hospital said that Lama refused to have food until she was told that her dog was safe.
"We showed X-ray reports to Lama to convince her that there were no more puppies inside the dog´s womb," says Pan Sing Thagunna, a doctor at the hospital.
Santoshi Shrestha, 23 of Dhalko, Kathmandu, is no less crazy about.
She says her husband keeps complaining that she is too caring about her dog, as it gets more of her attention than he does.
"He too is fond of our dog but likes to tease me," she says. She said that she buys food and toys for the dog whenever she goes to market. She also takes it out and plays with it. She says she thinks about her dog even when she is at her office. The money is not an issue as it is a matter of satisfaction. Shrestha does not go for her own health checkups regularly but takes her dog to a clinic for medical tests every 15 days. She gives chicken liver, pedigree and vitamins to the dog. She uses special shampoo to clean her dog.
Veterinarians at the Kathmandu Animal Hospital said that people do not hesitate to spend money on dog care these days. "More people have dogs and cats as pets these days. One would be amazed to see their attachments with pets," says Dr Thagunna, adding, "They pray, worship and light butter lamps at temples, churches and in stupas for the wellbeing of their pets." He says that whenever a dog is ill, all the family members worry and come to the hospital to visit their ailing dogs.
They do not hesitate to spend money on the treatment. The hospital charges Rs 1,000 for a bed for one night. Also, people have to spend at least Rs 1,000 to conduct their pet checkup. "Sometimes it is difficult console the owner when their pet dies. People start crying even before we begin examining their dogs," says Prem Dahal, a veterinary technician.
Doctors said that keeping pets have multiple benefits including health benefits. According to them, pets give companionship and people feel relaxed they see their pets. Pets also make people active.
Family shuns celebrating Dashain and Tihar to mourn of pet´s death
Last year, Binayak Ahire of Balkumari, Lalitpur and his family did not celebrate major festivals like Dashain and Tihar after their dog died after prolonged ailments. The family mourned the death of the dog as people mourn the death of a close family member.
"It was like our family member. How can one celebrate festivals when a family member dies," says Ahire. He said that the dog brought from Mumbai was of a Labrador. "We could not sleep in our bedroom when our dog´s leg got broken," he says, adding, "My wife and I slept in the drawing room, where the dog used to sleep, for more than four months." The dog died in the course of treatment at Kathmandu Animal Hospital.
Prem Dahal, a veterinary technician at the hospital, says Binayak was even thinking of taking the dog to Delhi for treatment. "But we persuaded him not to as it was suffering from multiple organs failure," Dahal says. He said that the couple stayed several nights at the hospital accompanying the dog. Some of their relatives and neighbors found their behavior odd that they even had to be victims of backbiting for sometime.
"Only those who keep pets themselves can understand the affection we feel," he adds.
He says that as he and his wife were very attached to the dog, they did not eat properly for days. "I cannot explain the trauma we underwent after losing it," he adds.
Few months ago, he saw an injured dog on the street, which reminded him of his previous dog. He put the dog in his car and took it to a hospital for treatment. He paid the bills and latter dropped it at a shelter for dogs.
After a few months, the couple brought another dog of same species. Ahire always gives meat to the dog except on Tuesdays. The family does not cook food on Tuesdays on account of its religious belief. He and his wife bring toys for the dogs whenever they go shopping. They do not buy canned food as they prefer to cook fresh even for the dog. They never leave behind the dog at home alone when both of them are out.
They had initially thought that they would not be attached to the new dog as much as with the one that died. But as time passed, they grew as fond of the dog as the previous one
"I take the dog out thrice a day," he said, adding, "Taking the dog out for a walk benefits my health as well."
Related story
Rallies erupt on ‘dog meat day’ in South Korea
_20240628135302.jpg)
