The Street Dogs of Kathmandu

There are an estimated 35,000 feral dogs on the streets of Kathmandu. There are also, on average, 200 cases of rabies reported every year, mostly in children. There are many agencies working to improve conditions for the animals (and the people), but resources are scarce. Some of the dogs on the streets have owners they return to at night, but they roam during the day. Dogs are revered in Nepal. There is even a holy day in their honor. But it’s a hard life if you’re a street dog.

We watched a dog on the square around the Boudhanath Stupa hunting the pigeons. He would stay very still for a long time… then pounce. Sometimes, he got lucky. This is what’s left of one of his victories.