With the funds, we have been able to fully spay, vaccinate and deworm street dogs in the area. Because parvo and distemper are two common viruses in unvaccinated street dogs (the viruses attack the digestive, respiratory, and/or nervous system and can cause bloody diarrhea or lethal pneumonia- don’t worry, it can’t be passed on to humans!), the dogs we vaccinate will develop resilience against the diseases. Additionally, because each un-spayed female can give birth to 16 puppies each year (2 litters!), every dog we end up spaying means we help prevent hundreds of puppies escape the risk of being run over, dying of parvo or distemper, being homeless, or being poisoned.
In addition to vaccinating and spaying the dogs, as members of Hand 2 Paw, our students learn how to care for dogs by bathing them, taking ticks off, cleaning dogs’ ears, and petting and socializing with them. For street and temple dogs whom have often been neglected or hurt, these gentle strokes and acts of kindness go a long way towards helping the animals see the goodness in people again.
Our students learn empathy when they understand that the dogs are scared, excited, or in pain. They learn compassion when they seek to offer reassurance and approach the dogs slowly and pet them gently. They demonstrate generosity when they sacrifice their break time and weekends to helping sell goodies as fundraisers so we can stock our cleaning and medical supplies, pay to spay, and come to the temples with protein-rich treats! They learn hard work when they leave the temples exhausted from picking up the dogs and holding them securely when bathing them.
The students demonstrate gentleness when they practice slowly starting to bathe the dogs’ paws and back legs, and then running the water along the rest of the body so as not to startle the dogs. They also learn humility by humbly recognizing that we are guests in the temples and learning to keep our area clean and leaving the temple grounds and its inhabitants in better condition than we found them in! And of course, they also learn about biology, learning why vaccinations are important, what diseases ticks can carry, what to do when an animal has a bite wound or infection, and the importance of spaying/neutering to humanely help prevent street dog surplus. The students recognize that to show love is rewarded by the dogs’ utmost gratitude and loyalty.
