When you think of a prime minister asking the country for a birthday gift, the first thing that comes to mind is money, right? Well, not in the small kingdom of Bhutan between India and China.
Bhutan’s king was celebrating his 40th birthday, and the prime minister asked for something very different. He asked each member of the community who wanted to provide a gift, to please plant a tree or adopt a stray dog instead. A truly unusual request! However, this makes a lot of sense. Bhutan has one of the highest numbers of stray dogs in the world, and by having them adopted, the strain on the town would be a lot less.
Although the request of adopting stray dogs and planting trees may seem peculiar, the king definitely has a bigger vision of Bhutan. With strays being taken care of off of the streets, there is a lot less breeding and birth of more dogs on the streets. Stray dogs often cause problems such as biting the public, spreading rabies or other diseases, and causing accidents on the roads.
This gift request was a great initiative from the king! His second request is a true reflection that he knows what is best for Bhutan. Planting trees contributes to the fight against climate change and is a proactive approach to protecting the environment for generations to come.
It appears that some kings truly are wise, and act for the greater good of both people and animals wherever they might be!
Feature Image Source: Pixabay