Everybody loves dogs, right? Dogs are great. So what could possibly be so challenging about spending your time helping out at a dog shelter? Well as it turns out, a few things. But despite some of these challenges, overall I couldn't have imagined how enriching and placatory the place was really going to be.
I had arrived at the shelter by a very steep and bumpy road which was found by way of the owner giving directions rather than an address. Being far from the town and quite tucked away in the jungle, my drivers' faces baffled at as to why I would want to stay in such a random place, instead of showing up at a hot spot destination.
I was welcomed by one of the Sri Lankan helpers and something in the region of 160 dogs howling, barking, jumping, running, nipping, some so excited to see a new human, some warning me away and some just too sick to do much at all. As I walked down through rows of gated enclosures, I wondered when would it end.
Eventually I arrived in the kitchen and met the owner, Padma, and 2 other volunteers. I was offered a delicious meal while a number of mischievous puppies made a meal out of my shoes and clothes. It wasn't long before I was shown to my new wardrobe of clothes, designated entirely for the purpose of being chewed up and made a mess of. Already, I was getting a glimpse of how the dogs owned the place.
I read online about some of the other volunteers feeling overwhelmed by the shelter but I generally consider myself pretty easy-going in these types of situations so wasn't particularly worried. However, I had to admit, you don't really know what its like to come into a place with 160 dogs roaming free until you do it. Its loud. Its a little nerve-racking when they nip. And its constant. But its also amazing.
To be surrounded by animals whose sole purpose it is to ask for love and attention is soothing to the soul, in the way that simplifies what it means to love. And they were all just so so cute. If there's any takeaway from this post, its that the dogs were incredibly adorable. My heart was just a big squishy ball of affection from start to finish.
But, it wasn't all wagging tales and licking faces. Upon meeting some puppies that were in their own room, Padma informed me that they were now recovering from Coronavirus. At this point, the beginning of February, I had heard about the spread of Coronavirus and how back home, schools had been closed because of it, but it had not yet become the frightening pandemic that it did all over the world. It was so sad to see their tiny bodies seem so weak. A volunteer had told me that a few days ago, one was lying in a bowl of milk with flies all over him. But thankfully he is recovering!
Given that there were quite a few sick dogs around though, I did then start to get a little concerned for my own health. Padma seemed unsure about whether the puppies could infect humans but told me that she thought the puppies had a different strand than the one humans had. I now know that I was worrying over nothing, but given the panic that had set in over Asia and the less-than-perfect hygiene conditions of the place, I wasn't quite sure what I had gotten myself into.
In the end, it came to light that I couldn't contract the virus from them. I did however, get a minor case of ring worm and the odd tic that had made a home out of me. So in the end, though I still consider myself easy-going, the experience highlighted to me perhaps some of the higher-strung elements of my Western (and South Korean) standards for comfort and immaculate conditions. I hadn't always been that way, and so I realised that this was something I wanted to let go of. The truth is, it wasn't that bad once you just said oh well, it's no big deal.
As I settled in at the shelter I found that the volunteering work was volunteering in every sense of the word. To contribute help, I would have to actively ask or suggest what I should do. Again, this is the kind of working environment I was not used to. However, I found that the job was whatever I put into it and soon was helping wash dogs, walk dogs, clean up messes, remove ticks, help with IVs, injections and surgeries. Most of all though, I was able to offer comfort to dogs dealing with horrible illnesses and give the other dogs the love and attention they so craved.
In particular I would spend a lot of time with the sibling puppies just outside my room who I named Wolfy and Sweet. Wolfy because I knew he was strong enough to get over his sickness, and because he had a bit of a howl on him. And Sweet because she could be so sweet all cuddled up in my arms.
In the next enclosure was the cool kid gang, consisting of elder Anna, attention-hogging Eddie, sleepy Udo, energetic Shiva and submissive Hansie. These guys never failed to jump all over me when I came along, except for the couple days after their sterilisation, which certainly shocked them into submission.
The sterilization clinic was a real experience in itself. I was able to walk right up to the operating table, dog legs held up by strings, tongue out, eyeballs rolled back and guts spewing out as the vet snipped at them with a cup of tea and newspaper on the table next to her. Locals coming to drop off sick animals to the clinic would also watch on and chat with the staff casually, as behind them 2 to 3 dogs would lie on newspapers waiting for their anaesthetic to ware off. Some like poor Shiva, clearly spooked by their paralysis, could only but shake and cry out in total fear. Little Hansie took it hardest though, and would be curled up in a corner and vomiting for the next couple days.
But it's incredible that everyone at the clinic takes their Sunday morning to come here and help the dogs. There are so many stray dogs living across Sri Lanka and their constant reproduction only increases the spread of disease, starvation and suffering. And the vet literally does as many dogs as possible in one day.
Of course, there is no rest for Padma either who is constantly getting phone calls about new dogs that need help, having to keep up with getting more resources and making more room. As the demands have grown she's taken it upon herself to expand the shelter over the years. Her selflessness is inspiring.
When the clinic was not in session, Cinnamon and Spice were the residents of the room. We spent a lot of time with them on account of their sickness. One of the biggest challenges of my experience was seeing such innocent fragile things just too sick to move or eat and clearly confused and hurt as to why we would stick painful needles into them. Unfortunately their brother did not make it, but Cinnamon and Spice made a miraculous recovery and are back to their quibbling ways, showing off their beautiful coats.
Further down on the way to the kitchen were Carla and Soya who always were curious about me but never came close enough for me to touch.
The kitchen dogs included Betsy the forever barker, Chia the nervous and Cocoa, the one who always got a bit too worked up when she received any kind of stroking. And I have bruises to prove it.
The dogs that received the most attention were probably the ones in the dining area and yard just outside. I have to admit, I did have a favourite; sweet little Tina. Tina was the most docile of all the dogs, loved human laps but still had a bit of play in her.
There was one incident in which she had been attacked by a group of dogs jealous she was being taken for a walk. PingPing- another volunteer - has to be noted for her heroism in trying to break it up but unfortunately got bitten in the cross fire. I managed to grab Tina out of the dogs piling on top of her and after that I developed a soft spot for her. If I had had a job and a home at the time, I might have adopted her.
Then there were all the naughty little dining room dogs including Stella, Boo, Utea and Bambi who most of the time would have bags of energy and constantly be chewing on each others' ears or wrestling, interspersed with quiet moments sat on your lap. Then there was tough Fella and leader Tikiri, who would always be barking through the gates at each other in rivalry. Darling was one of those dogs that would just hit you if you refrained from stroking her, but really was just a real darling.
Nala was one of my favourites on the terrace. She'd always find a way to climb up somewhere just so she could stare straight into my eyes from only a few inches away. BoBo, another one of the alphas, never really understood the power of his body weight sat on top of you.
One of the joys was getting to know all the dogs' unique and endearing personalities. There was something about them that would just have me mesmerised with them for hours, just sitting, stroking, looking out at the jungle, no phone or Netflix. Not even a book, or headphones in. Just the dogs and the jungle.
Admittedly, it took me a few days to get used to the slow-pace. For anyone who has lived in London or South Korea, will know that life there is about making sure that every moment is filled with fun or productivity. But eventually at the dog shelter, I came to feel that the moments were just moments, bobbing to an Arcadian rhythm. My fellow volunteer and I, during one evening of play with the dining room dogs, agreed that this place made us more present. It was like meditation or something. I noticed that during my time here, I never worried or thought about the future.
I am so incredibly impressed with how much Padma gives to the Tikiri Trust. Through this experience I was reminded of the amazing power of generosity and humanity's responsibility towards protecting this earth and its weaker members. Just because the dogs can't communicate it, doesn't mean they don't feel the same things we do- they most certainly do - so why not give back to them in the same way we do for humans?