Arya Cayton from the US lives in Nepal and fosters dogs until they find a home. She never planned to foster any dog as it is a huge responsibility for someone who is usually traveling. She always took these dogs spontaneously based on situations she could not ignore.
Arya has always been against dog breeding. She says “Why to bring more while there are already so many dogs in need.”
She continues “Street dogs have a unique personality. Because they are living in a cruel situation they are brave and clever. They are more accepting of love and care as they have faced cruelty most of their life.”
The first time she ever fostered a dog was a spontaneous act. She says, “I was in traffic and I saw a skinny dog nearly getting hit, not just that I nearly hit the dog. The dog was vulnerable and scared. I watched the dog go to a shop and get thrown out.”
She further continues “I saw that dog get hurt 3 times, I stopped thinking rationally. I didn't know what I would do in the future with the dog but I had to get her out of that situation.”
After that day she came back home with her and slowly the dog was getting comfortable and wagging her tail. She named the dog Kyipo. Right now, Kyipo comes to sleep and for a meal at Arya’s apartment and hangs out in the street with the other dogs.
Maya was one of the dogs she fostered out of the blue as well. She found Maya near her home one night, just 6 weeks old and the neighborhood dogs were bullying her. She randomly posted a picture and her friends back home wanted to adopt Maya.
So far she has sent 9 dogs to the US and Canada.
“Before lockdown, I saw a few puppies in the street and two of them were killed. When there were 2 left, I took some pictures and uploaded them to Instagram. A friend living in California wanted to adopt it.”
She says it's an expensive but simple process.
Tara was one of the lucky puppies who found a good home as well. A friend of Arya’s found a dog in a dumpster that could barely walk. She took her home, named her Tara. Tara slowly started to recover, could walk, and grow back her coat.
Her friend would take the dog to a dog-friendly cafe and she would play for hours there. That's when Arya met Tara. Arya posted some pictures on Instagram and instantly got adopted. Now, Tara is happy with her family in her forever home.
Stray animals are a huge problem. Arya says people don’t have to think big to help in little ways. A small act of kindness is enough. “You can carry a Rs 10 packet of biscuits every day, put water outside your door, and treat them with love. These little acts can mean a lot to their survival,” she says.
She further shares “There are organisations to help these animals but they are not funded enough and overcrowded. Every individual can make a difference with little acts of kindness.”
You can see more stories of this on Arya's Instagram: ktmstreetpups
