Rooted In Ramblings

-my time in Sri Lanka

I knew I’d make some furry friends during my time in a Sri Lankan dog sanctuary, but never did I expect one to completely steal my heart. Her name was Honey, a sandy-coloured, scruffy little street dog with a wild, vibrant personality and mischievous nature.

In mid-September, I volunteered with The Mighty Roar Project on their Street Dog Rescue programme in Sri Lanka. The sanctuary was home to around 20 dogs that had been rescued from the streets to undergo medical treatment for a visible issue, to then hopefully recover and be released once again into their packs.

The first week included a lot of tears as I came face to face with the reality of the way many dogs are reduced to living in developing countries; many suffering with serious physical disabilities or intense trauma from past abuse. Although settling into this new environment was uncomfortable for me at first, eventually I began to see the joy in the little things, joys like Honey.

When I first arrived, I mistook Honey for a quiet and subdued dog from behind bars. Some of the dogs were allowed to roam around the sanctuary, but unfortunately Honey had contracted a disease from the street that was infectious to other dogs, so she had to spend most of her day in the kennel.

It was that first time I took her running on the beach that I saw the real Honey – tongue hanging out, galloping through the sand and spinning in circles. Sometimes I would run ahead of her and she would chase me, wrapping her two front legs around one of my mine and playfully biting me, tail wagging. Then she’d sit on my lap as the sun went down and I’d stuff her with yummy treats before taking her back to the sanctuary. No matter how long a walk I’d take her on, I’d always feel a horrible pang of guilt when I put her back into her kennel and saw her face sink back into that detached expression.

The hardest part of each day was just getting on with domestic chores, all whilst little lost Honey would stare back at me with her big eyes. I really struggled with the dogs thinking they’d just been put in prison and taken away from their wild and free life. Realistically, I knew that they were there to get better due to illness or injury, otherwise they would simply die on the street. But it was like a mental warfare at times for me, trying to stay professional and detached when I had a constant lump in my throat.

Honey and I had truly bonded during my second week in the sanctuary; I was taking her for a walk in the field opposite the sanctuary with some other volunteers and had to nip back to fetch some treats from my room, locking the gate behind me. On my way to my room I heard some commotion and looked round to see Honey bounding towards me through the hostel grounds. The other girls told me Honey had watched me leave and within 10 seconds had scaled the field gate to come and find me – an incredibly heart warming but equally heart breaking moment.

I learned so much from these street dogs and by the end, my cup was so full with all the love I had given and received. Earning these beautiful creatures trust and showing them kindness in a world where they are so often met with cruelty – it’s hard to put into words.

Though Honey was my secret favourite, she was not the only dog that had a serious impact on me. I was fortunate enough to meet Buster, a lifelong resident at the sanctuary after he was run over by a car, which tragically broke his back, paralysing his entire lower body.

Similarly to Honey, Buster had a rough exterior from within his lonely kennel, but once he was out, he had the most colourful, loving personality, (particularly during a tummy rub – his favourite). Giving him some much-deserved attention enriched me emotionally and I quickly realised how a small bit of love can give a dog so much hope, even after they’ve been through so much suffering.

Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. I was met with feelings of guilt for not doing more, especially for my lovely little Honey – I seriously considered just wrapping her up and flying her home with me. Even though I knew I had done everything I could for her, it didn’t make leaving her any easier. In the end, I’ll never forget her and I hope she’ll remember me too, and maybe one day we’ll meet again.

Raising Awareness

Being in Sri Lanka was such a drastic contrast to the way I’ve grown up around my dogs in England – always treating them with kindness, like they’re part of the family. Sadly, the ever growing plight of street dogs in South East Asia, due to lack of neutering resources and many abandoned by owners, means a sharp increase in abuse, the selling of dogs to meat trades and poor living conditions.

It’s important now more than ever to support charities like, The Mighty Roar Project in their mission to save street dogs and give them a second chance at life. To show my support, I have decided to run half a marathon in February 2026 to raise money for the dogs I met in Sri Lanka.

Please see my GoFundMe link: Treat, Heal, Release – Saving Street Dogs (https://www.gofundme.com/f/treat-heal-release-saving-street-dogs/cl/o?lang=en_GB)

Other charities that are worth looking into and donating include: Soi Dog Foundation, FOUR PAWS and No Dogs Left Behind. Donations and awareness help make lasting change. Thank you.

By Ava Deighton-Smythe.