Sneha Shrestha is the Founder of Sneha’s Care Animals Welfare Organization, established in 2015 A.D, in Lalitpur Nepal. She is a very passionate and determined animal lover and an advocate for animal rights. She stands as a driving force behind Sneha’s Care- an organization dedicated to shielding farm animals and community dogs from abuse and cruelty. Her journey began not as a wholehearted animal enthusiast, but with the purchase of two little puppies, a decision born out of more casual avocation than sheer passion. Among these two puppies, one died an early death. The other puppy was named Zara, who captured Sneha’s heart in due course of time, transforming her indifference into profound affection.

Zara became more than a pet; She became a family, a source of companionship, and an essential part of Sneha’s life. She would eagerly wait at the gate for Sneha to come home from work every day and would start jumping and wagging her tail in joy. Both of their life started revolving around each other eagerly anticipating their everyday reunions. The minimal amount of time spent together always resulted in quality time as it used to be full of playful antics, cuddles, walks, and fun. Sneha started getting so used to seeing Zara every day waiting for her at the gate in the evening. But, one evening, an unusual sight of not seeing Zara at the gate concerned Sneha to the core. She rushed in search of Zara, and her heart shattered into pieces when she saw Zara lying down on the floor vomiting blood. Immediately, she rushed Zara to the hospital. Despite, several attempts to save Zara’s life, she couldn’t survive. Sneha was devasted by the incident and tragically this bond was shattered when Zara fell victim to a neighbor’s callous act, succumbing to poisoning. And just like when a family member dies, people from Hindu culture would follow some rituals to grieve or mourn over the dead for 13 days by not eating salt, Sneha followed the ritual for her dog. She also went to file a complaint against her neighbor just to find out about the absence of the Animal Welfare Act in Nepal.

The loss of Zara proved a turning point for Sneha, awakening a deep-seated compassion for dogs and igniting a fierce determination to work for Animal Welfare. The newfound empathy led her to notice the difficulty of community dogs, often wounded by acid attacks, maggot infestations, broken legs, and neglected, strewn across her path. She started carrying packets of biscuits for them to offer solace and sustenance. Unable to bear the anguish of these animals, Sneha rented space at a local kennel to provide refuge, care, and nourishment. Yet, the number of animals wounded and neglected exceeded the capacity of the Kennel.

She began paying for space at a local kennel to provide shelter, care, and regular meals for community dogs since she couldn’t see their misery. The kennel was filled in less than a month. She felt that she could be able to help even more dogs and work more effectively and efficiently if she had her own shelter and a team to support her. So, she sold the home she possessed and started the shelter. She later came to understand how much compassion she had for community dogs and had a new perspective on all animals. She came to the realization that although she loved all animals, she was only showering her love on dogs. She started noticing that many other animals were also in need of medical attention and care. Male calves were abandoned as soon as they were born because they would only drink the milk that was supposed to be sold and they are not even beneficial to humans. Other farm animals like goats, pigs, and buffaloes are treated and killed cruelly for food purposes. She then started a farm animal shelter too as she realized that she should initiate the change herself. She also became a vegan in her attempt to exclude herself from being a part of animal cruelty as she realized how her consumption of meat and use of animal products increases the demand in the market ultimately promoting animal cruelty.

With time an intent to provide refuge to more animals prompted her to sell her own home and establish a shelter. She legally registered an Animal Welfare Organization in 2015 named Sneha’s Care. With the help of a committed team, she started rescuing and rehabilitating animals in need. Now, Sneha’s Care stands as a sanctuary for both community dogs and farm animals. Her devotion encompassed all animals subjected to cruelty, propelling her towards a vegan lifestyle and the creation of a sanctuary for farm animals.

Zara, the catalyst behind Sneha’s Journey, remains a guiding force even today. Her photo adorns Sneha’s bedside as a daily reminder to help the vulnerable animals. What started as a mission to save a few animals burgeoned into a comprehensive effort- Sneha’s Care, now focuses on broader animal welfare issues too. The scope has expanded from the Welfare of the Community to Farm Animals to Wildlife, and more. In recognition of her immense contribution to the sector of Animal Welfare, she was awarded with Best Animal Welfare Organization Award 2018, Woman Leadership Award 2019, National Women’s Felicitation 2020, Animals Care Excellence Award 2021, and Nepal Veterinary Association Excellence Award 2022. Sneha firmly believes in nurturing compassion among youth and enforcing strict laws that uphold the sanctity of every life. Her philosophy embodies the essence of humanity, learned from animals- teaching her invaluable lessons in empathy, compassion, and the sanctity of life.

“And it’s not just us who can teach compassion. The most important thing is to have humanity. It’s not only people who teach you humanity; I learned humanity from these animals. These animals taught me everything.”                                      -Sneha Shrestha