During tourist season (remember that?!), we always receive lots of calls and messages from worried foreigners about street puppies, asking us to come and scoop them up. However, while we understand – and appreciate – their concern, we have to explain that as a rule, we don’t take healthy puppies off the street. People are often shocked/appalled by this (and can be quite rude to us!), but hear us out. For a start, we’re not a shelter. With 1-3 million roaming dogs on the island, we believe the most sustainable way of looking after them is keeping them on the street. Yup, even puppies! Taking a ..read more

Rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease (one that jumps from animals to humans) that is still present in 150 countries, including Sri Lanka. The virus is estimated to cause 59,000 human deaths annually, with 95% of cases occurring in Africa and Asia. This number is likely much higher as many deaths go unreported. Shockingly, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one person dies every nine minutes from rabies. Rabies is more prevalent in poor and disadvantaged communities, where access to education and healthcare is lacking. Over 99% of human rabies deaths are caused by dog bites. Sadl ..read more

Street dogs have been a part of Sri Lanka’s culture for generations and there are an estimated 1-3 million of them on the island. We understand how shocking it can be to see so many dogs on the street in Sri Lanka, if you come from a culture where dogs are domesticated and living like royalty in people’s homes. However, western ideals aren’t always appropriate in a developing country and we’re not here to be white saviours – west ain’t always best, y’know! There are many different categories of street dog – those who are owned and allowed to free roam, those who live on the street but have hu ..read more

Sri Lanka has many animal lovers, but – just like every other country in the world – there is a small minority of people whose morals leave a lot to be desired. We understand that animal welfare hasn’t been a priority in a country that’s been ravaged by war, terrorist attacks, the pandemic and a crippling economic crisis, but there is absolutely no excuse for deliberate animal cruelty. Here at WECare, we’ve seen a large number of cruelty cases over the years, including wilful neglect, knife and gunshot wounds, intentional poisoning, deliberate burns from hot water or fire, and horrific injuri ..read more

Sri Lanka is synonymous with many things – sun-soaked beaches, speeding tuk tuks, rice and curry and…dogs. Lots and lots of street dogs. An estimated 1-3 million of them, to be (the opposite of) exact – on an island 3.7 times smaller than the UK. You’ll find dogs seeking shade under sunbeds at the beach, waiting patiently outside roti shops for their next meal, and sometimes – rather hilariously – using zebra crossings on busy roads. Street dogs are as much a part of the life and culture here as the humans – you really don’t have to look far to find one. We understand that if you come from a ..read more

Vaccination is a huge part of what we do at WECare, to keep the street and owned dog population in Sri Lanka safe and healthy. The DHLP vaccine is administered annually, protecting against distemper, hepatitis, leptovirus and parvovirus, as well as a yearly rabies jab, which is perhaps the most important of all, as it helps protect the human community too. Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic (one that transfers from animals to humans) viral disease that’s almost 100% fatal in humans once symptoms show. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), rabies is estimated to cause 150,00 ..read more

14th April marks the start of Sinhala and Tamil new year, a holiday that is governed by the sighting of the new moon. It’s traditionally celebrated by visiting relatives, sharing special foods and rituals, and the unmistakable explosive sounds of firecrackers. While it’s an exciting and festive time for us humans, dogs – who have a far more acute sense of hearing – can really struggle with the loud, erratic noises of celebratory fireworks, which can be heard round the clock in the days leading up to new year. “Fireworks are scary for dogs for a few reasons,” says veterinary surgeon and WECare ..read more

If you’ve ever ‘owned’ a street dog you’ll be familiar with their doe eyes, curly helicopter tails, no-nonsense short coats, Baby Yoda-esque ears and HUGE capacity for love. I use air-quotes here because, what does it mean to own a street dog? Can you truly ever own something that has, for generations, marched to the tune of their own drum? Where independence and resourcefulness is hardwired into them; where the inclination to roam is wound into their genetic makeup; where freedom is life? The thing about street dogs is they’re domesticated, but self-bred. Naturally selected. Humans rarely ha ..read more

Last year, filmmaker Alex Gatenby travelled to Sri Lanka to shoot a short documentary about the street dog situation on the island. Visitors to Sri Lanka are often upset by the sheer number of dogs living on the streets – but is there any need to be? This film explains why we – and other organisations – don’t believe that taking all dogs off the streets is the answer. Featuring WECare Worldwide (that’s us!), Tails of Freedom, Embark, superstar Surangi, and the man, the myth, the legend – Deepal. The post The truth about Sri Lankan street dogs appeared first on WECare Worldwide ..read more