HART HAS MOVED

HART operated at Pokhara View Point for almost three years, but as the time approached to renew the lease we realised that we no longer needed such large premises, added to which the landlord wanted a substantial increase in rent, making too much of a drain on HART’s precious funds.

Over the preceding years HART has played a major role in spaying the vast majority of bitches that roam Pokhara’s streets, so although there are sure to be a few more patients of this kind, especially in outlying areas, they are unlikely ever to require a kennel block for 21 animals, even taking into consideration the patients requiring other treatment. All the vaccination programmes that take place usually happen away from HART, with the very occasional dog being brought back for extra treatment at HART if it is needed.

So, after much soul searching and discussion we decided to look for an alternative solution. HART’s Chairman spent many hours seeking out possibilities that might have been available to us, he even managed to get the local government to allow us a small plot of land at a very minimal rent, but that would have involved substantial building costs which we could ill-afford. In the end he came up with a deal with which we all agreed, a private lease for a nine year term, with rooms already available for conversion to offices and operating room. It has been someone’s family home and the area currently housing their buffalo sheds can be converted to a small kennel block. The good news is that the rent is only one fifth of what it would have been had HART stayed put in its former premises.

So, on February 13th, 2012 we opened our doors at HART’s new premises, as the landlord kindly gave permission for us to start work in some areas even before he and his family moved out.

The office, operating and preparation rooms are complete, but with a slight delay in the family's departure, the kennels are still being completed.

Set-up costs have been kept as low as possible by re-using window-frames, doors and even some blocks from the old kennels, but still this has involved more expenditure than we had hoped. None-the-less, we feel certain that long-term, this will be more economical than staying where we were.

The other particularly good thing about HART’s move is that its new location means that tourists walk past HART on their way to visit the World Peace Pagoda, an important landmark, so this will enable us to bring HART’s work to people’s attention, hopefully resulting in more support. Our old premises were a little further away, and on a route visited by few tourists. Added to this, the new premises are more accessible for HART’s active Founder, Juliette Cunliffe, so she can visit virtually every day and play a more instrumental role.

ARCHIE TODAY

Just as a little post-script, so many people have commented on our tiny friend, Archie, in particular the photo of him wearing his garland at Kukur Tihar in October 2010, that we thought you may like to see what he looks like now.

KIM MCRAE'S PAINTING RAFFLED AT MLAA CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

British canine artist, Kim McRae, contacted HART  with a view to donating a piece of her artwork to raise funds for our cause. This we thought a wonderful idea and Kim is happy to work on the idea of painting the Tibetan breeds.

While still working on a special painting of all four Tibetan breeds we know in the West, she very kindly donated several small pieces. which she painted especially for us. The first of these, depicting an Apso and a Tibetan Terrier, was on display at Crufts and was raffled at the Midland Lhasa Apso Association's recent Championship show, together with a dog bed donated by the ever-generous Helen Bell. The raffle raised £225, so HART extends many thanks to Kim, Helen, the MLAA and all who supported the raffle so generously.