We all feel heartbroken when hearing about abused, neglected, or wounded animals — and we all wish more than anything we could alleviate their suffering.
That's why we here at LittleThings love nothing more than stories in which helpless dogs have gotten second chances at life.
Yet, they haven't always been saved by big, famous organizations. Often, it's everyday people who find it in their hearts to help these struggling animals, just like this homeless man who dedicated every day of his life to caring for stray dogs.
The Dogstar Foundation is another example. Founded by Samantha Green and her husband, Mark, it has aimed to vaccinate and safely sterilize thousands of stray dogs in Sri Lanka.
So far, they have achieved something that had seemed impossible with just a few members and volunteers, and are inspiring other charities and people all over the world to dedicate their attention and time to the cause.
Scroll further to read the story of how this one couple was determined to change the lives of thousands of helpless animals. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Samantha and Mark Green wake up every morning at 4 a.m., and don’t rest until midnight. For the past nine years, they have dedicated their lives to one important cause: saving stray dogs in Sri Lanka.
It all started in 2006, when Samantha encountered a young stray dog while vacationing in the country. The puppy was lying near a village temple, his fur badly bitten by mites. She couldn’t leave its side — so she brought it to vets and animal experts, bringing the pup to medical attention.
The incident opened her eyes to a broader issue: The streets of Sri Lanka teemed with thousands of homeless dogs, most of which had serious medical, parasitic conditions. No one was helping take care of them. Laws dictated that the strays be put down, poisoned, or dumped in lots.
Samantha knew instinctively that she had to save these helpless creatures. So, without any previous veterinary experience, she uprooted her life in England and moved to Sri Lanka.
Today, she lives in Negombo, a fishing villge in western Sri Lanka, with her husband Mark. They run the Dogstar Foundation, an animal welfare charity.
Once employees in the transportation industry, the couple now spends their days looking out for and providing medical care to abused and neglected dogs.
One of the biggest ongoing campaigns carried out by the foundation is the vaccination of street dogs. Once, two teams set out across the village to provide rabies vaccinations to as many dogs as they could find.
Once a dog was vaccinated, he was given a little green mark on his head to help the teams identify which dogs had been recorded.
Education material is also regularly handed out to community members and dog owners across the village.
The foundation has since built an animal medical facility, and has even launched a successful mobile veterinary service. Together with their dedicated staff members and volunteers, the Greens continue to help eliminate widespread diseases and overpopulation among stray dogs in Sri Lanka.
The foundation has even collaborated with My Green World, a wildlife and environmental organization, to be a part of its mobile app game. Pictured here is Sirius, a digital pup that was inspired by a real rescue! Users get to rescue, vaccinate, and house
Click here to visit Dogstar Foundation's Facebook page.
Please SHARE if you fully support this husband-and-wife team and their cause, and hope to see them improve the health of many more dogs in the future!
