In May 2025 my mom and I traveled to Sri Lanka to document the street dog crisis. This trip was 5 years in the making, but what we didn’t plan for was adopting a furry family.

On our first day, we visited a massive landfill where hundreds of dogs and puppies live. They ate whatever they could find in the trash and drank hot muddy water. Sadly, many of the mothers here have lost their babies to car accidents. It’s a common occurrence that drivers will run over dogs and keep going.

Lanka was one of them.

Lanka and her family, mom Josie and sister Asa, were the first to greet us during our visit. They were incredibly sweet, despite their circumstance, and followed me everywhere. The next day we were told that Lanka was run over by a motorcycle and couldn’t walk.

We rushed her to a veterinarian where they found multiple fractures in her legs and pelvis. Through luck and incredible support from the Sri Lankan community, we were able to secure a wonderful foster family and vet support.

Since May, I have been working around the clock to bring Lanka and her family home to New York. Unfortunately, plans took a turn for the worse when Asa, Lanka’s sister, contracted Parvo and passed away within a day. Devastated, I pushed even harder to get Lanka and her mom home safe and sound. A week later, Lanka started becoming ill with Parvo-like symptoms and we immediately rushed her in. Thankfully, we caught it just in time and she was able to be saved.

Lucky Lanka is a fighter, beating both a motorcycle accident and Parvo!

We are so close to bringing them home. However, the cost of doing that is rising. Flight prices have doubled and without funds, we won’t be able to afford adopting Lanka and her mom, and give them a chance at a new life! For them and for Asa’s memory.

We would be so grateful for your support to give these sweet souls a second chance at a beautiful life!