News
It’s rainin’ cats and dogs, but the street animals have to be fed
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Street animal feeding, a difficult activity, has become even more challenging during the last couple of days due to the prevailing bad weather.
Animal rights activists as well as concerned civilians who have become animal feeders braved the heavy rains, partially flooded roads, and roads with potholes to reach animals awaiting their meals.
The animal feeders explained that sometimes they had to rush their feeding rounds to be there before rainfall, while on other instances they were forced to find areas with cover so the animals don’t get drenched.
Dogs being fed in Kesbewa (above) and Narahenpita (below). Pix by Akila Jayawardena
Some animal feeders braved the rain during nighttime so they could feed animals without interruption from bustling vehicles and residents, or shop owners who protest against feeding animals near their establishments.
Animal rescuer Sahana Ravishankar (31), who is also a founder of a charity “Purrs and Woofs SL” told the Sunday times that as she does not own a vehicle, she had to hire three-wheelers to carry out her feeding rounds, and that as a result of the rain it was very difficult to hire helpful three-wheeler drivers.
“Some three-wheeler drivers don’t like to come during rain or assist me to feed street dogs and cats, also it takes time to make sure the animals get fed during rainy time, so the process takes time”, she said.
She pointed out that both dogs and cats wait under vehicles even till 12 midnight for their meal so even if she gets drenched due to rain and ends up with fever, she carries out her feeding rounds. 
According to her, finding dry places with cover is the biggest challenge as nonstop rain causes animals to scatter, while some stop feeding halfway. She added that she prefers to feed dogs and cats at night when there is less resistance from house- and shop-owners, as most people do not venture out at that time.
The Sunday Times learned that some animal feeders are assisted in their nighttime ventures by beggars and drug addicts.
In some cases, these “socially undesirable” persons help the animal rights activists to find strays and even carry food parcels for animals in their areas.
Another animal feeder as well as a rescuer of 60 disabled cats, Thilini Gamage (37), who resides at Kandana and also feeds animals around her workplace at Negombo, said that despite rains the dogs and cats wait to get fed.
She explained that she feeds dogs and cats dry food such as dog and cat biscuits in containers, so food doesn’t get left over and drenched by water.
“Animal feeders are very responsible; we spay and neuter and vaccinate stray animals, but most street dogs are community animals which have owners but are left outside at streets and near gates of houses and shops.”
Senior citizens too brave the weather to feed animals, one such person being 74-year-old Deepal Wijeweera, who explained that he spends Rs. 18,000 a month to feed stray animals.
He explained that he had to expedite the feeding process as he tries to feed the animals- dogs, cats or crows- before it rains.
“I feed animals in covered palaces, but I make sure my animal feeding doesn’t trouble people. I choose patios of closed shops and covered sheds. I also use my own bowls to feed the animals and collect the containers so there is no environmental hazard”, he said.
He advised that people who engage in animal feeding should de-bone and clean the guts of fish when they prepare meals so the dogs and cat could consume the meal safely, and there is no stench.
He urged the general public to feed street animals on rainy days as on such days animals find it difficult to search for food.
Nirupa Shiromali, a 43-year-old housewife, said that she feeds around 40 animals in Batuwandara, Makandara, Thoranawila at Kesbewa areas.
“I travel nearly six kilometres a day to feed dogs and cats- even despite rainy weather” she said. She said that despite bad weather conditions the animals wait for her at roadsides.
Animal welfare activists as well as animal feeders also call for responsible pet ownership policies and laws, so that authorities would be able to take actions against people who abandon kittens and cats, or those who do not spay and neuter their cats and dogs when necessary.
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