It was to be a day of marveling at pedigreed pooches, paraded around by proud owners, vying for prizes that were to be handed out later on. The grounds at the Satdobato Swimming Complex were on Saturday overrun with dogs of a variety of breeds—from a pair of hulking Tibetan mastiffs in one corner, a giant brindle-coated Great Dane called Jack who towered over all the others, little bug-faced pugs straining on their leashes, and sleek German Shepherds who'd been taught to stand on their hind legs for a photo-op, among a great many furry others—all brought out as part of the 4th Grand Dog Show.

Organised primarily by Bullet Dog Breeder, Annapurna Kennel, K9 Dog Training and Care, alongside several other co-organisers, the dog show this year certainly embodied canine pageantry for the most part—participating pets were judged on how healthy, well-groomed and obedient they proved.  And it was a visibly festive affair overall, with stalls set up around the premises offering food and drinks, pet services and accessories, facilitating further interaction between pet-owners, of course, between the happy pooches themselves.

The proceedings did take a more somber turn, however, when the issue of animal welfare arose, articulated very effectively in the speech by Pramada Shah, the president of the NGO Animal Nepal, which has been working with other organisations to spay and neuter strays in the Lalitpur area. Shah condemned the culture of acquiring dogs as showpieces by those who were only obsessed with the prestige associated with certain breeds but not prepared to take on the responsibility of properly caring for these animals. “Some people tie up their pets all the time, crowd them into cages and neglect to feed them, and that's not right. Dogs need their freedom, and they need affection, just as we do,” she said.  

Shah also talked about the 'dog farms' that are growing around the country, where females are made to birth puppies every breeding season.

“The only way the exploitation can stop is if we learn to check into where it is we're acquiring our new pets from,” Shah said. And while she congratulated

those present on the kind of attention they had showered on their furry loved-ones, she also beseeched them to spare some thought for the animals on the streets, and to help out in any way they could.

As testament to their commitment to the cause, organisers have said that proceeds from the show will be used to care for strays. In that same vein, the event also felicitated Gyani Deula, a one-time flower-seller who adopts and cares for abandoned dogs. Deula, who lives in the Kamaladi Ganesh Temple premises, is presently playing mother to 27 mongrels—most of them female. “There's so much cruelty in the world, I don't understand it. Just look at them, how gentle they are,” she said, indicating towards one of the pets she'd brought along. “How can you not love them?”