A Bolivian Man Found a Way to Save Stray Dogs From Hunger, and We Can Do This in Every City for Free

The amount of stray dogs has been drastically increasing in many countries and Bolivia is one of them. Today there are nearly 2 million stray dogs on the streets of Bolivia, and almost half of them are abandoned pets. This number is huge, but thanks to devoted animal lovers more and more of these dogs feel needed, and are able to find food and shelter. Fernando Kushner, from La Paz, is one of those people who cares and he’s managed to find a simple, but effective way to make hundreds of homeless dogs happier.

Here at Bright Side we’ve learned more about the way Fernando makes the lives of street dogs a bit easier, and we hope more people will follow his example.

A stray dog that Fernando met 4 years ago changed his life and made him turn his attention to the problem of homeless dogs.

Fernando Kushner, from La Paz, had been a high-flying businessman in brand marketing, until one day an encounter with a stray dog changed his way of thinking. Coming out of his yoga class, he spotted a hungry stray dog and gave him a piece of his sandwich.

The dog licked Fernando’s hands and nuzzled his neck, and the way that poor dog thanked him just melted his heart. It actually prompted him to come back and feed the dog again the next day. What started as an unexpected encounter, completely changed this businessman’s life: he gave up his successful career as a marketing executive and went into helping animals in need.

Today he feeds hundreds of dogs on the streets of La Paz from morning to night.

Fernando quit his job, and his daily routine now consists of giving food to hungry dogs in his city. Every day he visits the same districts and leaves food in the same places, so that the dogs can find it. He makes 2 rounds per day, checking that all the dogs are fed. Fernando is committed to his mission, and the tough job he does pays off with all the gratitude he gets from his furry friends.

So, where does all this food come from? The answer is simple, but genius.

Fernando collects the major part of the food he gives to the dogs at cafes, restaurants, and fast-food chains. Every day he collects about 15 large containers, each of them holding about 11 gallons of chicken, bones, and other tasty leftovers. He tops it all off with dog biscuits that he buys with his own money. Every dog Fernando feeds gets a substantial meal of about 2 lbs of restaurant food and 0.5 lb of tasty biscuits.

In the future, Fernando hopes to employ people who could help him with his dog-saving job, but now he does it mostly by himself, working together with food chains who donate their leftovers. He shares pictures of grateful dogs via a Facebook account he devoted to his heartwarming mission.

Giving food is not the only way Fernando Kushner helps dogs who are in need.

Apart from feeding the dogs, Fernando volunteers in animal shelters 5 to 6 times a week. He also uses his skills in marketing to attract more attention from people and companies to the problem of homeless animals.

“I have had 1,300 interviews with TV channels and newspapers both inside and outside of Bolivia. I am not a politician or a star that needs to be followed. I just do what I do transparently,” says Fernando. He also persuaded a few big Bolivian companies to publicize his slogan: “Adopt, don’t buy” and encourages people to find their pets on the city’s streets.

With his good deeds Fernando Kushner proves that you don’t need to have a lot to give a lot. The way he helps abandoned animals is pretty simple, but has turned out to be life-saving. Each of us can do something similar in our own cities, and make the world a little better for animals and people.

What do you think of Fernando’s way of helping stray dogs? Do you think this project could work in your city?