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Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre
November, 2008
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| Welcome to Little Lotus Hearts' latest update from Kathmandu Animal Treatment Center. KAT works to better the lives of street dogs and cats in Nepal's capital and largest city, Kathmandu--which is home to around 790,000 people.
This fall, Kat has been busy with World Rabies Day (9/28), World Animal Day (10/4), and a visit from the WSPCA.. They also celebrated the Tihar Festival recently. Day 2 is devoted to honoring dogs!
KAT's communications officer, Sareena, shared the photos below exclusively with Little Lotus Hearts.
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| Read KAT's latest newsletter for stories about its people and animals.
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| Tihar is a 5-day Nepalese festival celebrated in late fall by Hindus throughout the world. Nepal Vista describes Tihar: "Tihar is all about worshiping of different animals such as crow, dog, cow, and worshiping of the Hindu Goddess of Fortune or Wealth (Goddess Laxmi), and cooking great meals at home, brothers and sisters shopping for gifts, flying kites, decorating homes and streets, playing cards with friends, resting and relaxing, and finally ending the festival with an exchange of a special temporary mark on forehead (tika in Nepali)."
On day 2 of Tihar, dogs are blessed. The BBC describes Day 2 thus: "On this day, called Kukur Pooja or Kukur Tihar, canines are garlanded, adorned with the Hindu powder of blessing, the tika, and given festive food including sweetmeats - jalabis. According to the Hindu scripture, the Mahabharat, dogs accompanied Dharmaraj Yudhisthir on his journey to heaven. There is also a Hindu belief that dogs guard the underworld."
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Left: KAT resident Bill is blessed by Sareena on Kukur Pooja. Bill was adopted but returned to KAT recently when he was diagnosed with cancer. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy and we wish him well.
Right: Tara, one of KAT's permanent residents, is blessed during Tihar. She appears a little reluctant to accept the honor! (Tara's story is recounted in a previous KAT report here. You may also remember that Little Lotus Hearts recently began sponsoring Tara.)
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| Kat resident Mango, a Tibetan Terrier, receives a blessing from his friend Bharat. Next he is in full Tihar glory. If any two dogs deserve Tihar blessings, it is Mango and Tara. If you missed it the first time, read about their wonderful work as rehab dogs in a Nepalese orphanage (PDF will open). The "Doctor Dog" program brught smiles all around!
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| KAT staff bless a puppy. |
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| September 28, 2008, was World Rabies Day. Rabies is easily preventable but currently kills more than 55,000 people each year. Unfortunately, dogs are a primary cause of Rabies in humans. These dogs are typically strays living in the streets. Agressive spay/neuter programs (like KAT's ABC program) control the dog population while also making it healthier by administering affordable and very effective Rabies vaccines.
Left: KAT veterinarians, Dr. Kiran Pandey and Dr. Bidur Piya, on a rally around the south side of Kathmandu to raise Rabies awareness.
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| Over the course of the day, Dr. Bidur Piya , one of KAT's resident veterinarians, gave talks on Rabies to three women's groups in Bishnumati village on the north side of Kathmandu, very near the KAT centre. Children were also present and we were able to hand out literature about Rabies to them.
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| The children of KAT staff outside KAT centre's gate, giving out flyers to passers by! Who could resist them? |
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