Our Center
Our Center
The Chamba Animal Care Center is set on 12.5 acres donated by Thiksey Monastery, located just 1.5km east of the Leh-Manali highway on the turnoff for Thiksey Monastery. You can find us on Google Maps as Chamba Animal Care Center and via What3Words at ///evergreens.oldies.boxes.
We are set against one of the mighty hills of the Himalayan Plateau, giving our dogs plenty of room to play, climb, and rest in a natural setting.
Ladakh is a gorgeous environment but not without its challenges, as a high-altitude desert that can get to -40° in the winter.
What We Do
Every day our team responds to several emergency calls from around the greater Indus Valley area of Ladakh. Sadly, most of these calls are for terrible road accidents. Dogs are crushed by careless drivers daily on the roads of Ladakh. These poor souls would otherwise die alone and in pain on the side of the road.
We take these dogs to private or government vets for treatment and care for them during their recovery. Many cannot survive back on the streets, due to amputations or even paralysis.
As of Summer 2026, we have over 850 dogs in our care.
We strive to only keep those dogs that are not suited for street life anymore. (Read more about our philosophy below.)
Most of our dogs have access to the entire 12.5 acres of land, but we have reserved some space for special needs dogs.
We have created a “Retirement” section for older dogs who deserve a rest in their golden years. We have a section for paralyzed dogs with smoother ground, either tile or sand, as a more comfortable surface for their dragged limbs. (We also give them access to a wheelchair for rehab and play!)
We have a quarantine section far from the others dedicated to dogs with CDV (Canine Distemper Virus).
We have other pens we can use if the need arises: to keep injured mothers and their newborns; for dogs recovering after sterilization before we release them back to their neighborhoods; sick dogs who need rest or a special diet, etc.
Our dogs eat twice a day, a nutritious blend of dal (lentils), rice, and varying amounts of soy protein, meat broth, and during the winter, Pedigree dry dog food for extra nourishment. We can always use donations of dry rice, dal, and dry dog food.
Our Center Staff
Day-to-day rescue, operations, and care are provided by the most wonderful staff imaginable. They live on the grounds and their lives revolve around the love and care of these animals. Their compassion knows no bounds. Thank you to Ram Bahadur, Dansari, Ishpal, Vishal, Ganga, Vikash, Dhan, Depak, and Partima.
It’s not all about cuddling puppies, either. Multiple times a day, our team performs emergency rescues at road accidents, aiding dogs that have been literally shattered by careless drivers. Their endurance, as well as their emotional and mental strength, are an inspiration to all.
Why are Stray Dogs such a big problem in Ladakh?
Ladakh’s street dog crisis is a human-created problem. For years, dogs have barely survived on food waste from relatively new (since the 80’s) military bases and tourist restaurants & hotels.
When those sources of food disappear in Ladakh’s frigid winter (-40°!), the dogs go hungry and turn to hunting wildlife, livestock, or each other to survive. They can even turn on humans when desperate enough.
Poor waste management and limited sterilization efforts have compounded the issue. The solution lies in a blend of common sense and compassion: managing waste responsibly, expanding sterilization programs, and treating these animals as victims of circumstance, not as villains.
They didn’t ask to be born in these difficult circumstances, and it is up to us to help. If not us, then who?
The Case for Sterilization
“Why can’t you just round up all the street dogs? Why are there still dogs in my neighborhood?”
We cannot take all the dogs into the shelter, because if we remove them, new dogs will come, and then we would have to remove those, and more would come again–it would never end.
But if we sterilize the dogs and return them to their areas, they stay in their home area, they protect it, and no new puppies are born. That is how the population truly goes down and the community is more peaceful.
The shelter must remain for the sick and injured, not for every dog, because the street dogs that live here, once sterilized, become your guardians–they hold their territory and keep new dogs away.
Sterilization saves lives, reduces suffering, keeps the streets calmer, and makes dogs and people safer. Caring for animals in this way is an act of compassion. It prevents suffering before it begins, which creates good karma for the whole community.
Can I Visit the Center?
Our dogs love company! If you want to come socialize with our dogs, we would love it. It’s a busy place, though, and we want to make sure you have the best experience, so let’s schedule it in advance! Please call us at +91 94191 77783 to discuss a visit.
Find Us
Ladakh's Largest Animal Rescue
Registered under Society Act XXI of 1860
Copyright © Chamba Animal Care Center Ladakh