My Travel To Take Pictures Of Cats And Dogs Continues In Sri Lanka

I haven’t chosen photography, photography chose me. The possibility to tell life through images is very important to me, it’s my way to meditate. So, for me, it’s impossible to travel without my camera.

Two years ago I went to Bali and I was alone for a few days. I strolled a lot with my camera keeping me company, and I noticed there were a lot of stray dogs on the beach and I couldn’t resist but to take pictures of them as they were very quiet and happy, despite everything. And they made me happy too!

The following trip I did was to Cambodia last winter, and I knew my goal: to take pictures of stray cats and dogs, to show the world in a different way, not only through human condition, but showing the life of the animals closer to us. Cambodia is an extraordinary land, where everything is colourful and my project started taking shape.

My project continued last summer in Sri Lanka, where I tried to look at reality from a new photographic perspective.

There were lots of stray dogs on the beach, easily coexisting with the tourists, accepting some food bites and enjoying some strokes. At sunrise, they followed the boats that came back from fishing to benefit from some food scrap. They were really calm, also if obviously there were precise hierarchies among them. In the streets the hierarchies got stronger and the weaker dogs took a step back when an alpha arrived. Not only to attract them, but also for love towards them, I was always bringing some dog dry food with me for them to share, and that let me see these interactions from quite close.

In Sri Lanka the Christian and Muslim religions and the Buddhist philosophy coexist, the latter lingers the first two of a form of respect. I tried to deepen my knowledge of how the human and animal coexistence is lived by talking to people. Obviously we are far from how we perceive cohabitation with pets here in Italy, but more than half of the dogs still have a home, which somehow allows them to survive. Also the poorest man, so they say, will share his bite with a hungry dog, because he could re-born in the same appearances in his next life.

On the other hand, in less touristic and more rural areas, dogs were absolutely wild and unapproachable, scared, they ran away from me howling! Skinny and dirty, they absolutely didn’t look like the dogs approaching you, waving their tails on the beach.

In my wandering I met only few cats, which are considered the animals of the women of the house, all very shy and minute.

The Embark association (www.embarkpassion.com), born in 2007, has not only the focus on rescue and adoption but also sterilisation, vaccination, education and campaigning to improve policies with regard to animals nationwide. The Embark team takes the welfare of street dogs in Sri Lanka forward, against all odds.

Their goal is also to instil the values of respect, responsibility and compassion.

Also my project goal is the same: in many parts of the world dogs and cats live in situations of pure survival, but the beauty they can give us is perfect, because animals have pure souls.

I hope to continue to travel to tell stories of cats and dogs around the world, to show a different side of the places I visit and add the sensibility towards every living creature.

More info: paolastella.it