In a quiet corner of Bangladesh, a couple has opened their home—and their hearts—to 26 dogs, treating them not as strays but as family. Sujit and his wife spend roughly Tk 18,000 each month on food, shelter, and medical care for their canine brood, all while dreaming of building a proper shelter for homeless animals.
Their dedication is striking, especially in a country where the stray dog crisis is growing more urgent by the day. According to Dhaka North City Corporation, an estimated 75,000 stray dogs roam its jurisdiction alone, with a similar number in the south. The consequences are serious: by late September 2026, Dhaka’s Infectious Diseases Hospital had treated 107,558 animal-bite patients, up from 94,380 in 2023.
For Sujit and his wife, every taka counts. Their monthly budget of Tk 18,000 covers essentials for 26 dogs—about Tk 692 per dog—a sum that pales in comparison to the Tk 120,000 another Dhaka rescuer spends caring for roughly 200 dogs each month. Yet the couple’s commitment goes beyond numbers; they also feed other strays and hope to establish a shelter where homeless animals can find safety, food, and care.
Their effort mirrors a broader struggle. Animal welfare groups like the Furry Friends Foundation focus on sterilisation, vaccination, and treatment to manage the population humanely. But as rescuers point out, individual kindness cannot replace systemic action. Government vaccination drives have faced delays, and sterilisation costs often fall on volunteers, who pay Tk 1,500–2,500 per surgery out of pocket.
Sujit and his wife may not have a large shelter yet, but their daily sacrifice shows what compassion looks like on the ground. In a city where stray dogs are too often seen as a nuisance, they remind us that every life—whether two-legged or four—deserves a home.
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Bangladesh