Queen Mother Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck inaugurates new animal shelter in Bhutan

Her Majesty Queen Mother Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck has inaugurated a new animal shelter and care facility in Thimphu, Bhutan. Established by the Royal Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (RSPCA) Bhutan, the Nu 11.7 million facility is designed to provide medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care for rescued, injured, and abandoned animals.

The inauguration coincided with World Rabies Day, highlighting the facility's role in humane animal population management and rabies prevention. The complex includes an intensive care unit, a day-care centre, and an incinerator shed. Beyond sheltering animals in distress, the centre will also offer day-care services for pet owners.

RSPCA Bhutan Executive Director Tashi Payden Tshering stated that the facility serves as a humane alternative to the culling of stray dogs. The event also included the launch of ‘Dongkarla, the Dog Bull’, a book by Charmi Chheda detailing the true story of a bull raised among dogs at the RSPCA.