Who Is Responsible For Our Stray Dogs?

Who thought our stray dogs would go hungry during nationwide lockdown? 

 

This very idea, the feeding stray dogs during the nationwide lockdown were born out of His Majesty's warmth leadership. 

 

We simply worried about our small family members and ourselves. However, our beloved Monarch has not only worried for his people but also wisely thought for thousands of stray dogs across the country.  The little thing of such kindness and farsightedness makes our king not only the country leader but also a world leader. 

 

Should we revamp plans and policies on stray dogs, around forty thousand dogs would easily be rescued and get the care they deserve. We can easily manage this number, since we have great leaders leading us for centuries. We have a veterinary hospital well equipped with trained professionals and other resources. We can't afford to prolong this issue time and again. For the betterment of the country, we must put forward every possible resources and expertise to tackle this issue at the earliest.

 

The dogs are great social animals, always loyal to human being. Dogs have been domesticated to a point where they need us to survive and we need them as well. For I know dogs are not like other domesticated animals, they are trustworthy and protect properties. However, in our context only the lucky few get to experience a dignified life of dog-ness. Most have their fate thrown into the street without owner or care or shelter.

 

Stray dogs are everywhere – dzongs, schools, towns, hotels and streets. There were many dog bite cases both in urban and rural places in the past. There were even some reports of our foreign guest being attacked by a pack of stray dogs. Some foreigners have openly accused "GNH" country for poor management of stray dog. There were some cases of students being attacked by the pack of stray dogs on their way to school and few cases of cattle being brutally attacked by our strays. 

 

With the stray dogs population rising, our towns and communities are becoming less safe for our kids and old people. 

 

With proper guidelines, ownership of the dog should be encouraged among our people. Despite different programs in place, we have somehow failed in our mass mission in controlling stray dogs. Now it is time for a more reliable plan of action to reach out to all the communities and hammer the dumbest head. For this move, the government has to lead the way. Our veterinary hospital and trained professionals have to bear the torch and take a full charge with the highest integrity and determination. Our vet professionals are the only people in our community who could possibly understand and put in place the best and more reliable solution to tackle this problem, all they need is our full support. 

 

One game changer can be an "adoption of stray dog" program. This could be the last solution we have in hand. We must encourage our people to adopt one stray dog with some incentives or policies in place. We can do this program phase wise and at our convenience. I am sure our people can do this positively. Adopting one dog won't make a difference but it makes a huge difference for our nation in controlling the growing number of strays. We must come together and commit ourselves as a nation to adopt one stray dog. There won't be a bigger gift to His Majesty and the country than adopting one dog and committing to care for them. #OneStrayDogForOneFamily.

 

Dogs guard our home and community. In the west, dogs are trained to be more smart, intelligent and reliable than human being. Some dogs are trained to sniff suspects or hunt down drug peddlers when human expertise fails to track down. 

 

The movie titled "The art of racing in the rain" captures life’s best moments when Denny Swift, the lead actor is with his best friend, which is a dog that wants to be reincarnated into a human. The other movie "Hachiko" is based on a true story of dog-and-human friendship. Both stories connect so beautifully to the extent of ignoring inherent dog-ness and animal world. If we train and care for our stray dogs, they can become one like them in the story. 

 

Thank You, Your Majesty for such a noble initiative. For inspiring a program to feed our stray dogs when nations have gone mad with the lockdown, we still have our beloved Monarch who never put us down.   

Learnings and Downfalls From the Lockdown

Lockdown –Nationwide! 

It is time for all of us to ask hundreds of questions and reflect upon how well we have spent our ongoing nationwide lockdown. 

It is the eighth successful day (11th August—) of the nationwide lockdown. We are experiencing a life like never before, never in the history of mankind. This novel coronavirus has brought us so many challenges but at the same time a beginning to hundreds of new ideas around the globe. It is like no other time that we are so united for the same cause. 

As the nationwide lockdown continues, we have learnt that we need to eat a calculated amount of everything. We even didn't spare cabbage and radish, which are the two most disliked items for a curry. I have learnt that if we are to die in such a lockdown, it is the vegetable items. 

The following are my random observations which are all my personal views. 

1.     The Government Decision

The decision was made in the early hour of August 11, 2020 (BST: 3:15am), lockdown to happen after 7 o'clock sharp through the official Facebook page of PMO, which has stated as an URGENT NOTICE to be followed by all, nationwide lockdown in the break of dawn. I strongly feel the time of the lockdown was very appropriate and timely because more than half of the population would be still in their bed, which gave everyone very less time for panic, commotion, chaos, fear, movement and crowd gathering. In this pandemic, lockdown is nothing new although we didn't experience it on our own. However, since the outbreak of this pandemic we have heard enough of the lockdown challenges elsewhere and that should be our take home message and we must remain alert and prepare ourselves internally until the end of this pandemic. In such an emergency situation of local transmission, remaining locked at home and going nation-wide lockdown is the only solution from this naughty virus. I am also sure that every one of us was almost sure for the lockdown to happen anytime and I am sure most of us were prepared and ready for this national cause. 

 

2.     The Health Workers

Like no other times, our health workers are doing their job in the call of the nation by risking their own life. For the first time, we realize the importance of our health workers and health profession. Despite such a huge risk, we never heard any health professionals backing up and fearing from their usual duty. If there is one profession that best describes this unprecedented time, it is the health profession. Whatever fear and stigma, risk and challenges they have never fail to provide their services and expertise. We have also seen them giving their best and serving the country in their best capacity all the time. I salute everyone for their dedication and service to the nation.

 

3.     The Police, Army and Forestry officials 

For the longest time, I always regarded and respected our police, army and forestry personnel for their service and dedication to the nation. They have been guarding our home, community, borderlines and the nation. They are our saviors; our hero and the national HERO.  

 

4.     De-Suups

I as a Desuup, I know the challenges and difficulties one faces in such time. Their service is always beyond their orange uniform and the cap they wear. De-suung program was very timely and visionary one. Nothing is as special as this program in this time of need. Although it started as a Royal Vision to basically strengthen the nation in times of disaster and emergency. However, it went beyond that call and the service. So today we see our De-Suups doing their job so well in supporting and helping our people across the country. They are everywhere. As De-Suup marches in their orange uniform, people around –big and small salute them for their hard work and the service they provide. De-Suups at this time are of great help and support. Thank you, Your Majesty For Such A Vision For The Nation. 

 

5.     Online Service

Never before we thought that online service would be this important and necessary someday, especially in times of such lockdown.  As the country goes for nationwide lockdown, online services have become very important and necessary. Therefore, the government and others who are already into the business of home-delivery services have come out with so sweet notification through their webpages, some through their app and other through Facebook page. However, online service seems to be quite unfriendly and challenging. In most of the cases the mobile numbers given were "switched off", some "busy", some "cannot be connected" and few "does not exist". The Facebook page was filled with a lot of grievances, which means our online delivery wasn't effective and timely. Should there be further or second or third time nationwide lockdown, our online service provider must know that their service is timely, effective, smooth and reliable for all times and especially for fast-changing Thimphu online service has become inevitable. 

 

6.     The Public

Despite so many plans and policies in place for this national lockdown, if our people do not behave well, everything would be in danger and unsuccessful one. The degree of success of such or any big or small decision depends upon how well each one of us behaves and listens to each other. This issue is a national crisis and each one of us must play our role as a responsible citizen and must abide by whatever rule is in place. We must behave as one and support each other for such a huge national crisis. So far our public has been the bone of success for this lockdown. Altogether our people have been so decent and smart. We haven't seen and heard anyone disobeying the decision made by the government of the day, we must know that whatever maybe the rule, after all it is for all of us and for the nation. We need such a high level of cooperation, resilience and smartness in our public for all times. Together we can!

 

7.     Lockdown Movement Pass System

One thing that came as a surprise in this lockdown for the people of Thimphu is the "Lockdown Movements Pass System". I wonder if such a system exists in other countries. If there is one thing that compares Dragon King's Farsighted Vision, it is this simple and unique thought that makes My KING the great leader around the world. The movement pass contains all the necessary information while one goes shopping outdoors. It contains the lockdown protocols, location, time and the area for shopping. This movement pass is basically to make this lockdown more friendly and lively and to give a feel that we are still part of each other. 

 

Despite all these learning and downfalls, we still have a long way to savior unseen challenges and future. I hope our national situation would become better as we delve our lockdown journey together. It is for the national cause. Also let us not disappoint our Monarch who has worked so hard and selflessly for our nation for the past eight months. 

 

I always keep this unforgettable quote from His Majesty –"The reckless action of a single person who clandestinely crosses the border for trade, or to meet acquaintances, or to bring someone to Bhutan, risks spreading the coronavirus in their community and in the country. It will completely undermine all our national efforts. Therefore, to be 100 percent successful in our fight against the coronavirus, it will require the unstinted cooperation of each and every person."

Covid-19, Lockdown –Nationwide!

The nation woke up to the news of the nationwide lockdown following a report of a COVID-19 positive case in Gelephu. But it wasn't surprising since we were almost sure that we would end up in a national lockdown one day or the other. It was inevitable. And we are finally under lockdown –nationwide!

It is something very serious and immediate. The call was timely and very appropriate. It needs no further explanation and judgement. It is for the cause of the nation. It is the race for life-and-death call. And the government calls it to save us from the spread of this pandemic. Otherwise, everyone of us would face the same fate. 

Four days already down and we are finally experiencing what it seems to be under the nation lockdown. We have had enough news about lockdown elsewhere. We did not give much attention other must have faced and undergone. It wasn't easy altogether. Through this lockdown, I finally realize why Donald Trump was so furious and arrogant to China for the gift of this virus. So far we didn't have any serious cases of transmission, maybe by the virtue of luck or whatever. But now it's our turn and we must reflect on our own behavior and action despite WHO and MoH requests on every individual of COVID etiquettes.  

Did we pay any attention? Did we listen to the protocols set by the WHO and the Ministry of Health? Did we listen to the feelings of our front line workers?

The first Covid case of an American tourist had shaken us little on the deadliest of the virus in the month of March. The panic and the fear just lasted for a few sweet days. Then the fear has gone forever. Nothing much has changed in our mind. We thought it would come and go. We never thought that this disease would one day enter our locality and put us into such a tight tension that we can't even cross our balcony, into a situation of national lockdown. 

However, under the lockdown, Thimphu looks deserted and more like a black-and-white film of Zhabdrung's era. The only difference is the building and roads. However, with no human being on the street the ever-busy town of Thimphu is now filled with stray dogs, roaring of the thimphu chhu, cheerful sounds of birds, fresh air and absolutely silent express highways. Thimphu looks crazy and sexy and lovely again in a century. Nonetheless, Thimphu looks like a lady in sweet sixteen as the nationwide lockdown continues for the straight fourth day.

I am pretty sure, the rest of the Dzongkhags would be experiencing the same feeling and more importantly the difficult times each one is experiencing having to stay inside without much work and movement - basically cook, eat, sleep, and talk. There is nothing more boring and serious than having to stay home, eat and sleep. 

However, everything in place, I am sure a few more days would bring some happy news of lockdown OPEN and movement FREE, but it won't be the same old days. 

 

The Lucky Friday

If not for all, the first Friday of August 2020 would simply remain as one of the important dates for me. Two very important things have occurred on this day –the successful birth of my second baby and the Champions League success at Etihad Stadium. 

The long awaited birth of my second baby happened on this day at 10:08PM inside #Delivery Room 5 of the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Birthing Center at JDWNRH. I would like to thank all the on-duty Nurses for helping out on the successful birth of my HE Baby, wet cleaner for making sure that the rooms are clean and dustless and security guard for maintaining good professional ethics.  

It was already 12:12AM, when I rushed back home to put my 3 years old SHE Baby to sleep. Although she doesn’t need us more during the day, however, she needs us in the night. We didn’t leave her alone so far despite so many tough situations. This is the time she needs our utmost love and care that is why for some more years, I have happily dumped my Australian dream. Happiness is when you are surrounded by a beautiful family. As a responsible father, I don’t want to seemingly trouble my growing babies. I don’t want them to get isolated from emotional connection when they needed the most. Also I don’t want them to grow up with the money mentality, or everything is money. 

After a quick dinner, I quickly fastened her bed so that she could rest after a long day jumping and running. As I prepared her bed, I put on the tv, searched for the Champions League match day LIVE stream program so that I can do two things together. She didn’t require any explanation or support like other days to sleep. She slept on my left and I continued the long awaited football match of Manchester City. It was an easy win for City boys as they already had advantage of two away goals at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Sterling 9’ goals and Jesus 68’ goals have sealed their victory. They will face Olympique Lyon on 16 August in Lisbon, Portugal. It is in their fate, either of them would face Barcelona or Bayern for the semi-final. However, one lucky team will lift the most desired UEFA Football cup of the 2019/2020 seasons. All the 8 teams, who have reached to quarterfinals, have the chances for the cup. My wild guess is for the City or Barcelona, however, it all depends upon their luck and the chances they create on the pitch. Football is a team game and needs a lot of energy. 

As expected, my wife gave birth to a baby boy and the Etihad success has wrapped my day ever joyfully and happily.