Tashiya Captain is one of the growing number of activists looking after Sri Lanka’s population of street animals
Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs: SiyathGowin Plus
Animal Welfarist and founding member of Justice for Animals, Tashiya Captain is one of a growing number of activists who have dedicated their time to looking after the stray dogs and cats in Sri Lanka through spay-neuter and feed programmes. Tashiya initiated the spay-neuter program in 2020 and since then has spay/neutered over 7000 animals and vaccinated at least 12000 animals in the last two years. A dedicated activist, her work is funded via donors who appreciate the yeomen service she does for the street animals. There are no gimmicky social media posts to publicise her work, instead her dedicated and diligent approach to animal welfare has earned her a legion of supporters who assist her in any way they can.
How long have you been engaged in animal welfare activities?
Since I was a child. I would rescue homeless cats and feed dogs who would wait for me at the bus stand after school. More active and structured involvement was when I joined an association around 40 years ago.
What motivates you to do this?
I grew up in an animal friendly home. For me it was a natural progression to continue to be involved in helping animals.
How did the spay-neuter programme come about?
The spay-neuter programme was initiated in 2020. Due to the lockdowns and other restrictions, many areas with a high number of homeless animals found that the dogs were facing starvation without their regular food sources. This situation also highlighted the number of street dogs and the dire need for immediate spay-neuter programmes.
