Doing her best to give them more than a ‘dog’s life’
View(s):By Tharooshie Mahahewage
Six km off Panadura town along the Horana road, you reach the home of Manike Dayaratne, better known as Daya. This large-hearted lady is on a mission to rescue and care for strays. She’s had more than 150 dogs and an equal number of cats in her present neighbourhood neutered as well as in her earlier one in Ratmalana.
Daya with her four-legged friends. Pic by Susatha Liyanawatte
This has been her mission since 2006, ever since she found a stray pup she had been feeding had been run over by a passing vehicle. “It was on the road in a puddle of blood and milk. The mother and the other pups were staying nearby as if they were scared to abandon it,” she says, the recollection bringing a tear.
She took the mother and her remaining three pups to her house and since that day, her home has been a haven for strays. “I have had more than 55 dogs in my own house, brought 29 with me when I shifted from Ratmalana and now I have 16 dogs and three cats.”
“Our first dog was Chubby.
She was a month-old when we found her and she’s been with us since. She’s now 13. The youngest we have is “Sungi” who’s about six months now. The naughtiest is a Ridgeback cross called “Tutu”. We keep her and her partner “Lucky” away from the others. “Ranmali” has been with me for four years now. I took her in with a broken paw,” she said.
Daya has three children; her elder son is studying to be a pastor, her daughter is married and her younger son who is living with her is working. Her husband passed away in 2000 and her financial predicament does not let her treat as many animals as she would like.
Caring for so many animals means her freedom is restricted. “I can’t go anywhere either to spend a night at a relative’s or visit a friend,” she says.
She spends all her money on the animals, even foregoing her medicines at times. Donations from well wishers help. “There is a couple in Kelaniya and another in Malabe who put about Rs. 1500 each to my bank account every month. I’m grateful for every little assistance. Some even cook meals and bring it.
“I somehow feed the animals with the little I have,” she adds. “Transport is also a problem. I mostly use three-wheelers. But it costs a lot. It’s not easy to bring two sacks of rice in a bus.”
When the animals get sick, there are some who would help her either by offering to drive the animal to the vet in their vehicle or give money for the taxi, she says. ODEL helps a lot too and the kind doctors of Best Care, Nawala have saved many of her animals, says Daya.
Daya appeals to kind-hearted animal lovers to help her in any way, with donations of food, medicine or money. For those who would like to donate money, her bank account number is Seylan Bank, Angulana branch, 079030444418101. For those who would like to visit her and see the dogs, she can be contacted on her mobile, 0779086106.
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