When Marina first laid eyes on Pongo, the tiny black-and-white puppy was barely clinging to life. Weak, malnourished, and covered in fleas, Pongo had been left on the side of a dirt road in rural Sri Lanka—alone, sick, and too small to even lift her head.
“She was the size of my hand,” Marina recalled. “I honestly wasn’t sure she was going to make it. But something in her eyes told me she wanted to try.”
So Marina scooped her up, brought her home, and made a promise she didn’t take lightly: to give this puppy a second chance.
What followed was weeks of around-the-clock care. Marina bottle-fed Pongo every few hours, cleaned her wounds, and wrapped her in warm blankets. Slowly, the little pup began to gain weight. Her eyes brightened. Her tail gave the tiniest of wags.
And finally, one day, she stood on her own.
“It was the proudest moment,” Marina said. “She was strong enough to walk—and even better—strong enough to meet the other puppies.”
Watching Pongo run, tumble, and play with her new siblings felt like a dream. From a fragile life on the brink to a joyful, tail-wagging ball of energy, Pongo didn’t just survive—she thrived.
But for Marina, Pongo’s story was just the beginning.
“I realized she wasn’t the only one,” Marina said. “There were thousands of Pongos out there. Sick, unwanted, tossed aside. And I knew I couldn’t stop with just her.”
With that spark of determination, Marina founded The Dog Care Clinic in southern Sri Lanka—a rescue and rehabilitation center that would go on to become one of the country’s largest and most impactful animal welfare organizations.
Working tirelessly with local veterinarians, volunteers, and international donors, Marina transformed her small act of kindness into a full-scale mission. Since opening, The Dog Care Clinic has spayed and neutered over 85,000 animals, preventing countless litters of street puppies and helping control the island’s stray population.
In addition to surgical care, the clinic provides vaccinations, emergency treatment, and long-term care for injured, abused, and disabled dogs. They’ve built kennels, shaded playgrounds, and even a special unit for blind or paralyzed dogs to live out their lives safely and happily.
And when it comes to finding homes, the numbers are just as heartwarming. More than 1,500 dogs have been adopted through the clinic—each one given the same second chance that Pongo received.
“Every time we see a dog get adopted, it’s like watching Pongo’s story happen all over again,” Marina said. “That’s what keeps us going.”
Pongo, now a fully grown, confident dog with a glossy coat and a heart full of joy, still lives with Marina. She’s the unofficial “mascot” of the clinic and greets every visitor with a wagging tail and a welcoming bark.
“She reminds us why we do this,” Marina said. “She’s living proof that one dog can change everything.”
Marina and her team face daily challenges—limited resources, endless calls for help, and the emotional toll of witnessing so much suffering. But they never stop. Because for every hopeless case, there’s also a happy ending waiting to be written.
From school outreach programs to free vaccination drives, The Dog Care Clinic continues to expand its impact beyond just its walls. It’s creating a culture of compassion and responsibility across the country—one dog, one story, one act of love at a time.
And it all started with a tiny, helpless puppy named Pongo.
So yes—watch her grow big and strong enough to run with the rest of the puppies. But also watch the ripple she created. One life rescued. Thousands more transformed.
Because sometimes, saving one dog doesn’t just change that dog’s life.
It changes the world.
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