Stray dogs in Thimphu, a photo from Thimphu, West

Photographer's Note

Recently I posted a photo called Stray dogs in Paro. Here is another one that shows some of the stray dogs roaming the streets of every town in Bhutan, sometimes keeping tourists awake by barking and howling all night long, occasionally attacking late night walkers as they run along the streets in large packs.

So, here is another reminder to the moderators: These dogs are by no means pets, and neither is the cat. They have probably just come to this temple because they know that the Buddhist monks are kind to animals and will probably give them some food.

Possibly the dogs know that they have to behave properly in the temple. Chasing cats in the holy place is not allowed.

This is a small part of a 12th century temple called Changangkha Lhakhang, situated on a hilltop on the outskirts of Bhutan's capital city Thimphu. It is a popular temple where parents come to have their new born babies blessed or to ask the monks to recommend auspicious names.

Two views of the city from the temple grounds can be seen in the workshop. All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides. Here is a larger version of the main photo.

The coordinates 27.47360 89.62836 will show you this temple. Just click at Map: view.

As for the dogs once again, their numbers increased rapidly in the early years of the century, more or less at the same rate that tourism increased. The more tourists that came to Bhutan, the more scraps from the hotels and restaurants were left in the unprotected garbage bins in the streets, in effect providing the dogs with ever more food.

Only about 6.000 foreign tourists entered Bhutan in 2003, the year of my visit, but by 2017 the number had reached 62.000, in addition to about 156.000 regional visitors (Indians and Bangladeshi who don't need a visa or pre-arranged tours). Something had to be done.

In 2009 the Humane Society International (working globally to protect animals' well-being) estimated there were about 100.000 stray dogs in Bhutan. One year earlier the government had asked the organization for help to handle the problem. A large programme of sterilization started. Indian veterinarians were called in to start training local vets how to catch and sterilize dogs, at the same time giving them rabies vaccine. Up to 2015 about 71.000 dogs had been sterilized and vaccinated.

Workshop #1

Workshop #2

snunney, Fis2, ikeharel, Royaldevon, ChrisJ, jhm, kasianowak, dale54, pierrefonds, bukitgolfb301, papagolf21, alvaraalto, alvaraalto, macjake, adramad, worldcitizen, PaulVDV, tyro, josepmarin, COSTANTINO heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

snunney (130967) 2019-01-11 1:02

Hello Gert,
Dogs know when and where to go to get fed as do cats. The animals serve to animate the scene and add a touch of humour to the composition. The colours and details in the background architecture are very well rendered.

dkmurphys (79209) 2019-01-11 1:05

Hello,
Funny image with the lazy dogs and the cat in the interior courtyard of the temple. Well seen.

D

mesutilgim (0) 2019-01-11 1:05

Hello dear Gert
Again the confirmation of the old sayin "oldies are goodies".
Very good observed and captured. Perfect layout and sharpness.
Even the cat does not have any problems with those dogs.
Something which is not seen often.
TFS and have a nice weekend
MESUT ILGIM

Fis2 (170669) 2019-01-11 1:07

Witaj Gert!
An interesting courtyard and its surroundings.
I like the bay window and windows.
Dogs and cat add flavor to this composition.
Good framing and colors.
Warm regards.
Krzysztof

Silvio1953 (221493) 2019-01-11 2:18

Ciao Gert, great view of fantastic temple, lovely composition with a lot of cats, wonderful colors, splendid light and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

pajaran (115805) 2019-01-11 2:22

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, lepo pokazano, dobar kontrast, lepe boje, lepo uhvacen trenutak.
Lepa fasada i detalji, lepa arhitektura.
Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje za vikend, srecno.
Paja.

Good day.
A nice view and a moment, interesting and good text ...
Good work with nice photos in the workshop, beautifully shown, good contrast, nice colors, a nice moment.
Nice façade and details, beautiful architecture.
I wish you a beautiful and successful day, all the best for the weekend, good luck.

lousat (139198) 2019-01-11 2:42

Hi Gert,interesting note,now Bhutan is a popular destination for tourists and locals too as i can read,but it was a very rare place to go when i been there. 3 nice pics another time,2 beautiful views from above and the main pic dedicated to the temple and its stray dogs,a lot as i can read...very good quality as always. Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

Tue (92312) 2019-01-11 2:55

Hej Gert,
Det er jo altid lidt synd at man skal sige at det ikke handler om dine husdyr her, men sådan er det åbenbart bare. Templet er meget smuk med masser af fine detaljer omkring vinduerne og på væggene. Hundene og katten er meget godt kommet med i pladsen i forgrunden.
Lars

jmdias (115072) 2019-01-11 5:06

gert

I liked the view of the animals and the amazingly decorated window ahead. very beautiful image. after my bowl was removed I was checking my images that would be post and I removed those with stray dogs I found in a nearby town.
I removed an image of a big table of the grape festival, with placards and artistically adornments because it would be considerate "studio".
a pity, each image had the local mood I wanted to show people abroad, like this one, but I wouldn't like to see them removed and I decided to avoid the risk.

take care

jorge

Nicou (193806) 2019-01-11 5:23

Hello

quelle image ce chat qui avance vers les chiens couchés au sol superbe captage et vue quel rendu sur ce bois quelle décorations extérieures et cour intérieurs superbe.
Bravo et belle journée
Nicou

Royaldevon (85862) 2019-01-11 6:01

Hello Gert,

These slides have scanned well to create excellent photographs.
The wider view of the city is lovely, clearly showing how buildings are concentrated in the lower, valley regions and there does seem to be slightly more eclectic buildings!
The problem with stray animals must have been/still is, a massive problem.
We hardly ever see any dogs walking without an owner in the U.K. though, as a child, I do remember small packs running wild in the towns! I really do mean small packs, nothing like the numbers you quote in your notes! Feral animals can be dangerous as well as just a nuisance.
I was fascinated by your main photograph showing the animals leisurely waiting and your suggestion that cats and dogs do not fight in a holy place! Animals certainly are sensitive to moods and emotions but I wonder how well behaved they are generally!
It's good to know that a programme is in operation to limit the spread of wild cats and dogs.

Thank you for sharing these,
Bev :-)

GyurMaster (24818) 2019-01-11 7:00

Dear Gert,

As I see the number of stray dogs are really high there, but they can behave as you noted. Or probably too exhausted from starving. Anyway, I like the relaxed feel.

Best Wishes,
Gy

Cricri (176) 2019-01-11 8:16

Hi Gert
Une image belle de ces animaux dans la cour du temple, les couleurs sont fortes
belle composition
Bonne soirée
cricri

ChrisJ (171818) 2019-01-11 8:32

Hello Gert

The cautious looking cat nicely breaks the repetitive pattern of the sleepy dogs in the courtyard. Good sharpness & the Buddhist temple looks Mongolian in style. Tfs!

ifege (47993) 2019-01-11 19:27

Hi Gert
A great peaceful photo, especially the large version although I do think that 2 of the dogs are keeping a quiet eye on the cat.
cheers
Ian

jhm (211736) 2019-01-12 0:42

Hello Gert,

It seems or the cat is not stuffy of the stray dogs.
Again, a very well scanned picture.
Sharpness and colours are wonderful.
Lovely presentation, pleasant composition.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John

kasianowak (17676) 2019-01-12 6:57

Hi Gert
Even with all those tourists it's still a largely unknown part of Asia.
These are three fascinating photos accompanied by equally interesting note. I didn't spend much time in Thimphu so glad to be able to see this temple. I bet if you had had a close look at the view in WS you would have found that those modern looking buildings still have some signs of tradition, like carvings and murals.
It was because of the Bhutanese dogs I got my rabies vaccine too... :-)
Best wishes
Kasia

rychem (72187) 2019-01-12 7:54

The temple couryard itself is interesting and beautiful, I can see the row of prayer wheels, a very peaceful atmosphere, dogs and cats enjoy a peaceful moment, a very nice scene
regards Ryszard

dale54 (17768) 2019-01-12 12:22

gert hello and good evening to yourself...yes i think i read about this problem,what a shame..but this temple looks superb! tfs dale

pierrefonds (114371) 2019-01-12 13:42

Hi Gert,

You have captured well the relaxation of the dos événements if à cat is passing by. The point of view is showing the details of the dos and of the cat. The light has a good effect on the colours. Have a nice day, The critique is writen from Puerto Plata.

Pierre

notrap (7812) 2019-01-13 0:57

Hello Gert,
you made me think first time about the relation between increasing tourism and stray dogs. Perfect contribution to TE as always, your notes stand out of all those paste and copy descriptions.
Kind regards,
Elvira

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2019-01-13 4:17

Hi dear Gert

Now I am trying to consider to go to Bhutan to shot Festivals this coming October, so I am so much intrested in your Bhutan sreies postings. Due to some buloges, I just know there are so many dogs in the cityes of Bhutan. Vert intersting your note and psoting, those are so udeful for me to study for my next destination, thanks for your sharing

All the best and have a good day! Takero

papagolf21 (152607) 2019-01-13 7:54

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Voilà une note d'accompagnement rédigée de main de maître à tous les niveaux.
La note permet d'apprécier davantage les prises de vue et la présence de ces chiens errants doivent empêcher une partie de la population de dormir.
Les paysages sont d'une grande splendeur liée à la région.
Amitiés.
Philippe

emka (158058) 2019-01-13 17:54

Hello Gert,
Interesting note about the stray dogs in Bhutan.I have seen many stray dogs in Chile, they were everywhere, never barked, very quete, nort the reason to be afraid. On teh other hand, there are lots of stray cats in Isanbul and a big problem in Cyprus. But here we see dogs and a cat. Dogs are lazy and cat is moving cautiously. Also interesting are the numbers if teh tourists visiting Bhutan. You were there early when it became possible. Now ore and more are coming even if it is expensive. The high price has a good side.
But I visited a beautiful place with even less tourists: While Bagan recorded 280,000 tourists in 2016, Mrauk-U only managed to hit 4000 the whole of year.

Regards from Lindau
Malgo

ikeharel (113273) 2019-01-14 8:14

Hello Gert,
The dogs seem indifferent to the cat approaching their place of rest...
Colors of the decorative elements are an eyes catching objects here.
Good afternoon,
Ike

alvaraalto (42804) 2019-01-15 7:20

Hello, Gert,
This can of course again give a nice discussion with the moderators.
The question can arise; When is a dog or a cat is pet.
These animals in Thimphu do not look like real wild dogs and cats, but I also assume that they are not your dogs and cats. So they are not your pets and I think it is then allowed to photograph and post them.
At least is you didn’t gave some food to these animals, because then we come back into a grey area. 😉😊
Have a nice day, groet Rob

carlo62 (81265) 2019-01-15 14:31

Ciao Gert
credo che tu abbia ragione, gli animali devono sapere che si tratta di un luogo sacro, sembra che siano tranquilli e che convivano molto bene.
Molto belli i panorami del ws.
Saluti
Carlo

macjake (98408) 2019-01-15 17:04

Hi Gert
as a huge dog and animal lover, this one puts a smile on my face and brings back memories from many of my travels. its sad when you see so many stray dogs like this, when in other countries they are so loved and cared for. Call me a bleeding heart, i can't help it :) these shots are always best when the animals are set against a special back drop, just as you have done here. its a good one, a cultural scene of daily living, but the non-human kind of living
cheers
Craig

mcmtanyel (68421) 2019-01-15 21:08

Hello Gert,
It is nice to see feral cats and feral dogs getting along. The views out of this temple are marvelous.
Regards,
MT

adramad (72940) 2019-01-17 7:52

Hello Gert.
Interesting note that among other things explains the overpopulation of dogs in this country, curious how quiet they are seen in the courtyard of the temple and the cat also, wonderful this corner of the facade, with this beautiful work in wood, especially that Balcony with five arches is spectacular.
Very nice color, which together with good sharpness and optimal lighting, gives a high quality to the image.
Well done. I like very much.
Enjoy a good day
Best regards.
Luis.

worldcitizen (16048) 2019-01-21 10:41

Hello Gert,
That large window is beautiful; it's worth showing the photo for that alone. The animals are an extra bonus. :-) I hope the program to sterilize and vaccinate the strays has successfully continued. The WS photos give us a nice overview of the area.

PaulVDV (62846) 2019-01-27 12:48

Hello Gert,
Seeing the pictures in the WS, Thimphu seems to be a city with much greenery.
Beautiful architecture on your main post.
I recognize the problems of the stray dogs. It's the same in Kerala. Barking late at night and early in the morning and aggressive behavior when you're walking alone somewhere. But there were noticeably few cats in Kerala.
The tourist boom is really huge for such a small country (or at least a country with relatively few inhabitants).
Best regards, Paul

Ilonka1974 (10289) 2019-01-29 10:38

Hi Gert,
This is a very peaceful image.
Beautiful architecture, nice view of this place.
Lovely composition with animals.
Best regards
Janusz

tyro (30513) 2019-02-09 2:48

Hello Gert,

Having been away from TE for just a few weeks, I see that you have been posting new images at a prodigious rate and I clearly have a lot of catching up to do!

Again, a fascinating note and three excellent photographs to accompany it. I just wonder how effective the sterilisation programme has been in reducing the stray dog population. I've managed to see a couple of websites which describe that sterilisation has been "successful" but nowhere can I find any figures which suggest that the population is actually decreasing. And that is also an amazing increase which you describe in the numbers of tourists in just fourteen years.

Your main photograph is delightful, showing this temple's buildings and also, I presume, its courtyard showing three lazy dogs and a cat who doesn't appear in the slightest threatened by their presence. And your two workshop images show fine wider views of Thimphu.

Were these all Kodachrome slides? I ask that because the two workshop images are to me more suggestive of the somewhat greenish hues of Agfa CT18.

Excellent!

Kind Regards,

John.

josepmarin (59385) 2019-02-17 9:37

Hi Gert,
You've catch a nice scene in this old photo, where the stray dogs and one cat give a bit of life in this yard in the temple.
The image still preserves its quality and its sharpness in spite of its 16 years old, and I like its chromatic wealth as well.
A good work.
Friendly regards,
Josep

Miguel82 (47110) 2019-05-24 12:34

Hello Gert, i've noted that the stray dogs don't like strange noise. For example when one pulls a suitcase in the street, they are scared and they start barking but rarely attack. The cat doesn't seem to be afraid of them and walks calmly. Good idea to sterilize the animals because they represent a health problem in urban areas where as they threat the wildlife in rural and protected zones. Wonderful architecture, it includes small prayer wheels on the left.

COSTANTINO (116405) 2020-10-17 23:01

hello dear Gert and have a nice day
simple photo with an interesting detail
except the beautiful buildings...
....stray dogs in Paro.....
i could say that this scenery
is often in our streets at Volos city...
regards
costantino