A haven for stray cats and dogs

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

You may have many viewpoints to describe Udayanganee once you come to know her life with cats and dogs. Some people may admire her for her affection towards such harmless creatures whilst others may just ignore, ridicule or reject her labelling her as an insane woman.

Udayanganee is not a character to be deterred by those comments as she is well aware that she is doing a good thing, to the society.

Except for the mental satisfaction, there is nothing she had gained by looking after needy dogs and cats who had become part of her life.

What she had lost in life is much more than she had gained by dedicating her life to look after the pets. She has, however, no worries about them.

When the so-called animal lovers turned a blind eye on an aniam, in distress Udayanganee rushed to its rescue and looked after it well. From her young age she used to feed and treat the dogs in the streets.

"I can't bear to see dogs and cats in need of help. When I see a limping dog or cat, I really want to see that they are well cured.

She had helped all dogs and cats she had come across but it was after she got a job that she could spend her money to look after them. In 2002, when the authorities at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Oil Installations at Kolonnawa where she worked as an English Stenographer gave the green light to kill the stray dogs within its premises, she resolved to protect the harmless animals.

When the dogs were killed by those armed with poisonous sticks, Udayanganee ran in search of her big bosses to plead with them to stop the inhumane act. But not a single boss was there to hear her cry on behalf of those innocent dogs.

"They all agreed that it was inhumane to kill stray dogs but none could stop it.

She did not give up her endeavour but went ahead with her mission despite more than 90 dogs had been killed. Everybody sympathised with the fate faced by the animals.

Only Udayanganee was there to help them. A van was given to her to take all those dogs home. It was the only help they could give her. She took the remaining dogs home to be looked after.

"I had them vaccinated. Some female dogs were sterilized and taken back to Kolonnawa oil terminal", she said.

Later she used to take sick dogs home for treatment. "Sometime I had to spend nearly Rs. 10,000 to have surgeries performed on dogs run over by vehicles. I was so happy to see them walk after being cured", she said. Today her tiny home at Kolonnawa in a 8.5 perch land has become shelter for 105 dogs and 38 cats. Many of them have been taken there by Udayanganee and some have been dumped there by various persons.

These animals had not spared even a single room for her comfort not even her bed. She along with her father shares the entire house with her pet dogs and cats.

She finds it difficult to provide them with better facilities as there is no compound available for these dogs and cats to move freely.

Though the stench emanating from the house was so offensive Udayanaganee is immune to it as it has become part of her life.

"I used to mop the ground when the number of animals was less but to their increase and the time constraint I have to keep the floor like this", Udayanganee said.

Her lean hands cannot do things alone as she had to attend office on time. So, she has to wake up at 4 in the morning only after a four hour sleep.

"I used to cook 22 kilograms of rice and 10 kilograms of fish to feed them daily. Before I leave for office I cook the meals for them and my father feeds the old and sick dogs during the day", Udayanganee says.

"Normally the dogs in good condition get only one meal a day but the young, old and sick get three meals per day. During the day they are fed with biscuits, bread and milk", Udayanganee said.

It is in the evening when she returned home that she feeds her pets.

She is very careful not to deprive a single cat or dog of its meal.

"I know the meal is not enough for them but that is all that I could afford to do for them.

I have obtained all loans given by the office such as distress loan, furniture loan and ten month loan to feed the animals, said Udayanganee with a sense of satisfaction on her face.

Except for discouraging words and letters she had not got anything from her office for her good work. "Instead of encouragement restrictions have always come on my way to stop looking after dogs", Udayanganee said.

But she was very appreciative of some of the officers at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation who had helped her in her endeavour to look after the innocent creatures.

Udyanganee never had big bill-boards, hoardings or other advertising media to raise funds for her work like the so-called animal lovers who are running their organisations for the sake of money.

Udayanganee spends nearly Rs. 3,000 a day just to feed these animals. For medication and surgeries I have to find money to pay for the Veterinary surgeons", Udayanganee said while lifting an amputated dog on to her lap.

"People tell various things to me. They even hate to see me in their lunch room or even in their round tables. But I quietly tolerate them as I do the right thing. This is my hobby. Like other people look after their children I care for the innocent creatures. If I have enough time I could manage this very well. I have to earn my living also. I can't borrow time from others", Udayanganee said while explaining her difficulties.

Udayanganee is ready to welcome help from others who are true animal lovers. "If someone is ready to give them a better life he is I mostly welcome", she said.

But she was very reluctant to give her address. "When people come to know about it, they will bring in their unwanted cats and dogs instead of extending support.

Udayanganee receives news on dogs and cats daily. Her life is full of such tales relating to animals. She is such an expert on animals that she could say from which diseases they are suffering from, at a glance.

As she is growing older with her pets she hopes fervently that real animal lovers would extend their support to her to look after them. Udayanganee gave her phone number 0724472378 for anyone to contact her.