A Furry Little Love Story

When we're not out exploring what's around us, we're at home in Kampala and naturally we need company.  As both of us are big dog lovers, a year ago we decided to add to our pedigree pack.  Stray dogs are pretty much ubiquitous on the streets of Kampala, so we opted to go and check out the local animal shelter to see if we could make a connection with a little soul in need of a good home.

We had agreed upon arrival that we were just there to take a look and may not necessarily leave with a dog in tow, although we had brought blankets and a few other necessary items just in case.  I clearly was not prepared for what I was walking into.  The shelter was housing a lot of needy dogs and cats.  Looking into their eyes and knowing that I couldn't save them ALL made me want to leave, but instead I wandered around.


Since our current situation was most conducive to getting a puppy, we focussed on the areas which housed several puppies all around 3 months old.  We had come in the late afternoon and it was feeding time.  As I approached the fence, one little puppy left her food bowl and came running over to me immediately.  Perhaps she thought that I had more food to offer her.  She began to nibble on my fingers and seemed to be very free spirited focussing only on me and not giving any notice to the other dogs or the food.

I gently pulled my fingers from her tiny mouth full of sharp little teeth and continued my exploration around the compound.  I found my husband and suggested that he come and see her as she really seemed to be interested in getting to know me.  As we neared the fence together, once again she came running over and greeted me again with the same hand licks and nibbles as before.  We were told by the shelter staff that her name was Mirembe meaning "peace", she had been rescued from the

Getting into the Christmas spirit

streets and brought to the shelter.  I felt like fate was taking it's course, she was after all choosing us!  How could we walk out of here and sleep tonight knowing that she was sleeping there.  So with that, we filled out the paperwork, covered the cost of her medical expenses to date and got in the car.  I was filled with a certain degree of anxiety as I was unsure as to how the other dogs would react to the new member of the family and was pleased that it all went off without a hitch.  It was as if we all agreed that Mirembe needed us and we would give her a place to feel comfortable and loved.  We decided to give her a second name and she is now affectionately known as Molly Mirembe.  Not a day passes that I don't think about where she was when first met her and where she is today and how happy I am for her.  In return, she fills our time together with excitement, her free spirit and unconditional love.

For more information on adopting a dog or cat in Kampala visit https://www.facebook.com/USPCA