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Located in the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur is known as ‘Nepal’s Cultural Gem,’ where
monuments, palaces, and temples abound. Amongst this mixture of culture, history,
archaeology, and religion, 3000 homeless street dogs live their daily lives.
Bhaktapur Animal Welfare Society (BAWS) exists to provide care and a safe haven for these
beautiful street dogs, as well as street cows, street cats, or any other species that crosses our
path.
Through rescues, emergency treatments, mange treatments, sterilizations, vaccinations,
adoptions, and community education, BAWS is working to make Nepal a better place for
animals.
We collaborate with likeminded professionals, individuals, and volunteers, to make our works
successful, impactful, and inspiring.
BAWS is a Nepali registered NGO, established in April 2011 under the Social Organization
Registration Act 2034.
*VIDEO HERE
https://youtu.be/MQrVrnzxXEs
To see our daily work, log onto our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/BhaktapurAnimalWelfareSociety/?fref=ts
Our Vision:
"A clean, non-violent, safe and healthy environment where humans and animals coexist as friends"
Our Mission:
“Initiate the welfare of animals, using the animals as per their capability without violating their right thereby
improving socio-economic development of the people and create safe and friendly setting for both human and
animals.”
(Is a facebook feed possible?)
Projects
BAWS operates several projects to help street dogs, other animals, and people:
Animal Birth Control (ABC) Campaign: When you visit BAWS, you will like encounter a sterilization
operation (spay/neuter). We have an ongoing ABC campaign and sterilize dogs on a weekly basis.
Sterilizations helps maintain the street dog population, with a smaller population, the dogs are healthier
and happier. And the people are healthier and happier too!
Vaccination Campaign: BAWS conducts a rabies vaccination campaign during National Rabies Day in
October, as well as other times throughout the year. This makes Nepal safer for both dogs and people.
Rescue Treat Release Campaign (RTR): BAWS is here to treat the injured and ill street dogs who
otherwise would suffer alone on the street. But we don’t treat only dogs! We treat cows, cats, pigs, any
animal in need of help, we will treat. Dogs who cannot be returned to the street will remain at our
shelter for adoption or to stay with us permanently.
Community Humane Education Campaign: Street dog behavior is reflective of how they are treated.
When a community is kind to dogs, the dogs are in turn kind to people. BAWS offers community humane
education, showing people how to behave kindly towards dogs, how to prevent bites, and the
importance of adoption over purchasing dogs. BAWS works to transform “street”dogs into “community”
dogs.
Visit our Facebook page to see our daily work:
https://www.facebook.com/BhaktapurAnimalWelfareSociety/
Dog being treated for mange.
Dog being treated on the street.
Many cows are left to roam the streets of Kathmandu, this abandoned cow is receiving
treatment & was brought to the clinic.
Street cats receive care.
Street dogs receive blessings at the BaWS shelter during the annual Nepali Hindu festival that
honors dogs.
Injured street dog receives care.
Some team members & volunteers.
Dog receives care on the street.
We are in gratitude to the following groups for their support:
(Please link to: www.Helpanimalsindia.org)
Meet the Team
BAWS Team
Dr. Pranav Joshi (& resident dog, Puppy), lead veterinarian, founder
Sandeep Joshi (with family), director of finances & cofounder
Suraz Magar, Program Manager
Rajini Joshi, administrator
Mukesh Tulsibakhyo, veterinary technician
Some of our resident dogs.
Donate to Help Us Help Animals
BAWS is only possible through its kind donors. Please donate today to help BAWS help animals.
PAYPAL LINK HERE
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BAWS has outgrown our current animal shelter, we urgently need new land to build our new shelter.
Please help by donating to our land fund.
We also accept donations of animal supplies, medicines, veterinary supplies, dog toys, food, etc. Please
email info.baws@gmail.com to learn more.
If you would like to donate outside of Paypal, email info.baws@gmail.com
Many supplies are not available in Nepal. If you are travelling to Nepal, please consider filling your
luggage with donated dog supplies!
Western Dollars go very far in Nepal:
$1 USD feeds a homeless dog for one day
$I0 USD vaccinates 3 dogs against rabies
$20 USD can help provide emergency treatment for mange, broken bones, maggot wounds, etc
$30 USD sterilizes a street dog
$I00 USD feeds all our permanent shelter dogs for over I week.
$500 USD sterilizes almost 20 dogs, that will prevent over I00 puppies from being born into a
life of suffering!
Volunteer With BAWS
Volunteers help BAWS move mountains. We accept volunteers of all skills & interests, please email
info.baws@gmail.com to learn more.
We also provide training to vets, vet techs, vet nurses, shelter workers, and students. Please email
info.baws@gmail.com to learn more.
Volunteer vet student from USA spends time with resident shelter dogs.
Our philosophy & Founder’s Story
Our Philosophy:
At BAWS, we believe animals are sentient beings with a right to their own life. We believe no animals
should suffer under the hands of humanity. BAWS’s founder lives a vegan lifestyle.
A Short Story From the Founder, Dr. Pranav Joshi:
As I roam about my neighborhood, familiar sights draw my attention; some stray dogs seeking cooler shelters in
the mid-day heat and some growling for discarded food on the sideway street. I have always questioned myself, as
a child and now as a practicing veterinarian about the ill-faith of these desolate animals and every time I see them
in pain, I cannot but blame humans for the mistreatment these creatures.
The generations have known dog as man’s best friend, but have we humans given back anything to match the
generosity of God’s most honest pet? It is traumatizing to even think of an extent to which we mal-treat these
animals. We hold no guilt of the fact that we, the great human society are solely responsible for what we today
love to call, the problem animals.
Working for just three years for the welfare of street dogs in Bhaktapur, a harsh realization have set in. It seems
like the municipality and the communities would rather prefer to temporarily eliminate the stray population by
any means possible rather that solving the root cause of stray life proliferation. Although totally unscientific and
inhumane, mass killing of street dogs by poisoning is one of the most common methods employed in Nepal.
However, the authorities involved in the action are not aware that post such killings, new dogs quickly occupy the
empty biological niche vacated by the previous dogs. Simultaneously, the survival rate of puppies’ increases as
there is no competition for food and unsterilized dogs increase their movement, thus further spreading the trouble
of over populated dogs in the area.
There also seems to be a general lack of awareness that the use of poisons, especially during the monsoon could
ultimately be fatal to human beings as the poison washed away by rain could contaminate water and other edibles
like fruits and vegetables. A recent event of Bhaktapur (15 June 2011) is a rather sad and a warning lesson we
should learn. As I write this story, flashes of suffering dogs that were poisoned on that day by the workers of
Bhaktapur municipality run before my eyes. I quickly checked how they were poisoned and immediately knew that
it was none other than Strychnine. I knew I had to act fast, not just because the dogs were pleading for death
(obviously the poison dose was insufficient to kill them), but also because I was scared that the poison seeping out
of the dog’s mouth would soon find its way into the nearby vegetable market. With a heavy heart, I euthenaisized
(put into death) some dogs and immediately called the authorities to clean up the area.
While this sounds like a normal story and thing that we
have seen in the past, the ultimate effects could be devastating. Strychnine poisoning can be extremely fatal to
humans and can occur by inhalation, swallowing or absorption through eyes or mouth. It produces some of the
most dramatic and painful symptoms of any known toxic reaction. Human life cannot be put into stake just
because lack of awareness. This message has to be therefore relayed to the society: that the chemicals used to
control the street dog population can causehuman casualty as well. There are options like Animal Birth Control
(ABC) Programwhere male and female dogs are neutered to reduce/control the population of the street dogs. ABC
programs have been found to be one of the most effective ways to control and reduce street dogs population all
over the world.
Stray dogs have been a source of my inspiration, not
just because I have a chance to show kindness to them, but because they have made me realize my responsibilities
of being a human being. Their presence and their sufferings remind me everyday that I am a part of society that is
in a way responsible of these lost lives and as a veterinarian, I therefore stand for a mission today to fight for the
rights of these bereaved animals.
Contact Us
We are happy to hear from you!
Info.baws@gmail.com
baws@gmail.com
Bhaktapur Animal Welfare Society (BAWS)
Gapali-12, Suryabinayak, Bhaktapur
G. P. O: 92, Bhaktapur
Tel: +977-01-6613244/ 9751008067