The Temple Doghouse Project

Temple Doghouse is a program created to bring food, medical care and training to dogs and people living in remote mountain villages of the Himalayan mountains of Nepal.

Open to volunteers, veterinarians and dog trainers, the goal is to create a network of bases we call “doghouses” in villages that can be accessed by foot within a few days walk from one another. Their purpose is to provide a home base to store food, resources and medical supplies for animals, and as base camps where temporary veterinarian camps will be hosted.

Many mountain dogs are working dogs, they are tied to short chains outside in all kinds of weather and fed a mixture of flour and water that is considered local dog food. The dogs can grow very thin, often they are neglected and living in desperate conditions without any kind of physical contact or kindness. Their job is to bark to keep wild animals away and as a result of being chained they do bark, but the people then fear their dogs which creates a cycle of neglect.

We believe that living in a society where animals suffer has a negative toll on the society as a whole and that the Nepali people are generally kind. We are hands-on with local populations to lead by example, we share information with them about nutrition and the types of foods that are good for their dogs, and offer veterinary care, spay and neuter programs.