KIRAN PANDAY

Less than two per cent of Asians adopt homeless and destitute mutts from shelters. In response, one-time street dog Oscar and his South African owner Joanne Lefson are on a World Woof Tour to encourage people to adopt the 475 million homeless mutts in the world.

Starting the journey on 2 May this year from Cape Town, he has already seen the ancient Egyptian pyramids, climbed up the Eiffel Tower and eaten rice and curry at the Taj Mahal. Nepal is the 20th country Oscar is visiting.

He plans to visit over 65 dog welfare centers in five continents around the globe. Oscar's team is filming the entire adventure as part of a global documentary and a to-be published book. While being the 'most travelled dog' is just another attraction of Oscar's documentary, the film's purpose is to give the long deserved recognition, necessary funding and inspiration to dog shelters around the world.

Despite high expenses and extensive journeys, the duo is touring to save mutt lives. 'Thankfully Oscar hasn't had any problems in the journey yet,' Joanne told Nepali Times. She added that his travels would be halted right away if Oscar got sick, since Oscar is the lynchpin of the tour.

Lefson initially had to sell her house to get a head start on the mission but some help has come from sponsors Pedigree, ROGZ, United Parcel Service and local lodges along the way.

Thanks to the undying efforts of Kathmandu Animal Treatment centre in Budanilkantha Nepal has been included in Oscar's list of countries to visit. KAT has already sterilised more than 2500 dogs within ring road and is constantly promoting the adoption of healthy community dogs instead of branded but weak pups.

To help the cause, Nani, a black dog sheltered in KAT, was awarded the 'Oscar's Oscar'. Along with a chubby Oscar toy, the person with a golden heart who adopts this year-and-a-half-old beauty shall get a free ROGZ collar and lead.

Subeksha Poudel

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