The stray dogs, no longer culled following a recent change to the law, were shown kindness and compassion

With whatever small change they earned the boys and girls fed their dogs, who were often abused on the streets

children had no-one to turn to but had formed incredible bonds with the stray dogs


They say dogs are a man's best friend, but sometimes they are their entire family too.

For the children of Dhaka, a terrifying and desolate life on the streets has been made bearable because of unconditional love - and not from their parents but from their dog companions.

Orphaned and thoroughly alone, the children, all from impoverished families, had no one to turn to and were surviving day to day, feeding themselves when they could, reported Bark Post.

Photographer Sam Edmonds found the orphaned children living in Dhaka, Bangladesh, had created a family with their dog companions

For the children of Dhaka, a terrifying and desolate life on the streets has been made bearable because of unconditional love they get from their dog companions

But when photographer and animal rights activist Sam Edmonds visited the area in Bangladesh he found something remarkable.

A makeshift family had been formed between the youngsters and dogs who had drifted into the Robindra Shorbod park in Dhaka.

With whatever small change they earned - sometimes from scavenging for plastics to trade for small coins - the boys and girls fed their dogs and those who did not return to their tin shacks, stayed with the animals overnight, keeping warm.

This unconventional relationship has been made possible since the country's former practice of dog culling - where stray animals are inhumanely killed for fear of spreading rabies - has been made illegal as of November last year.

Animal welfare group Obhoyaronno controls the stray dog population through a Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release program, says Bark Post.

Life for stray dogs in Dhaka is difficult and, used to neglect and abuse, they grow timid and frightened.

With whatever small change they earned - sometimes from scavenging for plastics to trade for small coins - the boys and girls fed their dogs and those who did not return to their tin shacks, stayed with the animals overnight, keeping warm

This unconventional relationship has been made possible since the country's former practice of dog culling - where stray animals are inhumanely killed for fear of spreading rabies

Life for stray dogs in Dhaka is difficult and, used to neglect and abuse, they grow timid and frightened

But for the dogs living in Robindra Shorbod, they were shown kindness and gratitude.

In a culture where stray dogs were cast aside, these young children had become their guardians and friends and each child shared a special bond with his or her own dog.

And for the street children who don't attend school, Robindra Shorbod has become a place they can call home, where they can play and laugh and feel protected when they go to sleep, says Bark Post.

One such 'family' was Osman and her little tawny dog Tiger. Osman traipsed the streets daily, scavenging for plastics to trade for small coins - but Tiger was by her right by her side.

Now, it seems, the 'families' have dispersed and when Edmonds checked in on their progress last month, a friend told him that most the children are no longer living in the park.

But the story is still a reminder of the powerful bond between man and dog - even in the face of intense adversity.

For the street children who don't attend school, the park of Robindra Shorbod has become a place they can call home

In a culture where stray dogs were cast aside, these young children had become their guardians and friends