Home Already: Rethinking Rescue for Sri Lanka’s Street Dogs

What does it really mean to rescue a dog?

To take it off the street? To place it in a home? In the UK, those answers might seem obvious. But here in Sri Lanka, where free-roaming dogs are a normal part of daily life, “rescue” doesn’t always mean what we think it does.

At Dogstar Foundation, we’re often asked questions shaped by European models of animal welfare – questions that reveal just how deeply cultural context influences what we consider “safe,” “cared for,” or “owned.”

But first, an important distinction: not all dogs on the street in Sri Lanka are unowned.

Ownership can look very different from what a visitor might expect. In some households, dogs are kept chained or confined in cages, often outdoors and without stimulation. In others, owners allow their dogs to roam freely during the day, much like a pet cat might in the UK. Sometimes this is because the home has no physical boundary, such as a fence, or simply reflects cultural norms.

And then there are community dogs, which don’t have a UK equivalent. These dogs are fed, known by name, and sometimes even taken to CNVR clinics by local residents, despite having no single owner.

Many free-roaming or community dogs in Sri Lanka have better welfare outcomes than confined dogs when assessed against the Five Welfare Needs. They enjoy greater freedom of movement, engage in natural behaviours like roaming, foraging, and socialising, and often receive regular food and basic medical care from members of the community.

By contrast, dogs kept chained or caged—often with no exercise, enrichment, or contact with other animals—may technically be “owned,” but their welfare can be significantly poorer.

“Isn’t it always better for a dog to be adopted into a home?”

Adoption is the gold standard for an unowned dog in many countries. But in Sri Lanka, adoption opportunities are minimal. Even when rehoming is possible, not all homes are equipped to meet a dog’s physical and emotional needs – whether due to time, resources, or awareness of what good welfare involves.

While adoption works for some, many dogs—including those technically “owned”—live happily within their communities. Dogstar’s CNVR (Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return) programme helps ensure they can do so safely and humanely.

“Surely a confined dog is at least safe from traffic or harm?”

Physical safety matters – but not at the cost of long-term suffering. A dog kept on a chain or confined in a kennel with no stimulation, movement, or veterinary care isn’t truly safe. It’s just invisible.

Welfare isn’t only about avoiding cars – it’s about freedom from pain, fear, boredom, and neglect. CNVR offers a pathway to sustainable welfare in the dog’s own environment, instead of substituting visible danger for hidden suffering.

“Wouldn’t more shelters solve the problem?”

It’s a common assumption, but it doesn’t hold up in Sri Lanka. With hundreds of thousands of free-roaming, unsterilised dogs and limited adoption demand, shelters fill up quickly. Overcrowding leads to disease outbreaks, chronic stress, and long-term confinement – often with worse welfare outcomes than life on the street.

Even if more shelters were built, they often face strong local resistance. Many people don’t want to live near them, and some even file complaints or take legal action to block their construction or expansion. The result? An unsustainable, contested system that fails both animals and communities.

Shelters carry long-term responsibilities that are often overlooked. When someone drops off a puppy, they may feel they’ve “rescued” it, but in reality, they’ve passed on a 10 to 15 year commitment. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of dogs, and you get overstretched teams, mounting pressure, and growing emotional burnout – while the person dropping the dog off may pay nothing.

Of course, some dogs do need rescuing – those hit by vehicles, suffering from illness, or abandoned in poor condition. In these cases, temporary shelter and treatment can be lifesaving. But right now, the system is overwhelmed not just by emergencies, but also by the ongoing care of healthy dogs.

CNVR offers a more effective, ethical alternative: it tackles the root causes, reduces population growth, and frees up resources so shelters can focus on the dogs who truly need them.

“Isn’t CNVR just putting the problem back on the street?”

At first glance, releasing dogs after surgery may seem like avoidance, but CNVR actually addresses the issue at its source. By sterilising and vaccinating dogs, we prevent future litters, reduce the spread of disease (including rabies), and create healthier, more stable populations that no longer grow unchecked.

It’s not a quick fix—it’s an upstream strategy focused on prevention rather than crisis management.

Just as importantly, CNVR builds shared responsibility. It encourages owners to care for their animals and fosters a sense of stewardship in communities. Rather than shifting the problem elsewhere, CNVR reduces it, measurably, ethically, and sustainably.

“Why not rehome dogs abroad, where they’d be wanted?”

International adoption can change the life of a single dog, but it’s expensive, stressful, and not scalable. And it doesn’t address the root problem: too many dogs, not enough resources.

Most Sri Lankan street dogs are used to roaming. They live in loose social groups, navigate outdoor environments, and enjoy autonomy. Transitioning to a Western-style indoor home—confined, isolated, and unfamiliar—can be deeply disorienting or even traumatic.

Rather than exporting a few, we work to improve conditions for the many, right where they already live. And for every one dog flown abroad, thousands more are left behind – unsterilised, unvaccinated, and unseen.

Reframing the real question

Rather than asking, “Why not rescue them?”, we invite you to consider another question:

“What’s preventing them from thriving where they already are?”

That’s the question CNVR is designed to answer. It’s not just a population control tool; it’s a commitment to systemic, ethical, and sustainable welfare that respects both dogs and the communities they live in.