Dogmandu: Or, Where are all the cats?

Almost every store here has a dog. Almost every corner shop here has a dog. Almost every street vendor here has a dog. Almost every dog here has a dog.

They are everywhere. They are dirty. They mingle in the large piles of trash that line the streets and alleys and sidewalks. Some are lucky enough to follow their master on their master’s daily jaunts. Others trot down streets, sometimes in packs, much like motorcycles travel to and from. But mostly they just bask in the sun. And I love each and every one of them.

It isn’t unusual to see people holding puppies up to your car window hoping that the sweet puppy face will entice you to roll down the window and take a new family member home. I tell you, I get no better pleasure than seeing sweet puppy faces, and it is mighty hard to not roll down my window, but I just think about my sweet Desi and Olive that will be waiting at home, slobber and tongues and all, and I feel a bit better for resisting.

Most of the dogs I have encountered, 99.9% of them, are sweet gentle beings that just want to be left to do their thing, which again is mostly basking in the sun. But there are the rogue beasts who, well, want to throw their weight around and let you know who’s boss. They bark and tumble with their “partner” I think in an effort to scare you, when I am sure they are just like the Cowardly Lion and wouldn’t hurt a flea.

However, there is reason for caution: rabies! This country has its fair share of rabid animals (dogs and monkeys for instance) and it is wise to be cautious. When we were making our initial plans to move here, we contemplated bringing our kids (of the four-legged variety) and pretty much found out there is so much rabies here our kids would have to sit in quarantine for six months in the UK before rabies-free Barbados would let them back home. Needless to say we nixed that idea quickly. And there is the occasional dog bite here, which also sends the bitee to get the lovely multi-round of rabies shots. My husband, who is quite the cautious type, did the preemptive rabies vaccine…just in case. But in his defense, he did have a coworker who was bitten by a dog one dark evening; so, well he had reason for his caution.

Kathmandu really is Dogmandu. And I know that name has been used a gazillion times before, but you have to see them—all shapes, sizes and colors—to realize the validity of that name. Dogs rule here, well they rule in my heart. I will miss the dogs of Dogmandu.

(Now that I think about it, I am not sure I have seen any cats in Kathmandu…humm, what is this chicken I am eating?)

Namaste

(Sorry I haven't posted lately. Don't you hate when your day job gets in the way?)