Kathmandu, May 11 -- For the past six months, Pramila Rai has been feeding nearly a dozen stray dogs in her neighbourhood in Swayambhu, Kathmandu. And when the government announced the lockdown, more than seven weeks ago, Rai worried how other stray dogs in nearby areas would fare.

"Most stray dogs depend on the generosity of passersby who feed them biscuits and local restaurant owners who give them leftover food," said Rai, who has been feeding stray dogs in her area as well as surrounding neighbourhoods since the lockdown began on March 24. "With people's movements severely restricted and restaurants shuttered, I sensed stray dogs could starve. This is the reason why I decided to start feeding as many dogs as I could."

Many, Rai says,...