Taylor and Drew Woodard set off on a year long adventure traveling around Nepal just last Spring. Though they had an idea that this would be a life changing trip, they gained more than they could have ever imagined.
Taylor is an avid animal lover and would frequently ask their translator, Harry, to pull over at the sight of any kind of furry friend on the side of the road. Whether it was a dog, cat, or even an elephant, Taylor was ready to offer her love. Seeing how much this couple loves animals of all kinds, Harry came up with an idea.
About a month into their trip, Harry came to Taylor and Drew and told them he had a surprise. He then led them to his home in a local village and sat them on the couch as they eagerly awaited the unknown gift. Before they knew it, Harry presented a tiny white puppy.
The small ball of fur couldn’t have been any older than 3 weeks old, as his eyes appeared to have just opened. They then learned that the mother of this puppy had fallen ill, and this poor pup needed an animal lover to come along and offer him the care he needed.
Though Harry’s family loved animals, they just didn’t understand the work that goes into caring for such a young puppy. The couple knew they had a challenge on their hands, but they gladly accepted the teeny puppy as their own.
Taylor and Drew soon named the adorable puppy Buda, which means “old man” in the Napali language, to honor his Nepali roots. They spent that next month bottle feeding Buda around the clock, and giving him all the time, medical care, and love that he needed to thrive.
Before they knew it, Buda was growing like a weed! His beautiful white fur became long and silky, and he soon surpassed the size of his mother and father. As their time in Nepal passed by, Buda accompanied the couple on every single adventure they went on.
“They always asked us what magic we used to make him so manlike. We always said rice and love.” – Taylor
Buda has traveled through the Himalayas, trekked through the jungle, soaked in the tourist attractions, strolled through big cities, accompanied them on waterfall adventures, and loved every single minute of their adventures together. If you saw Taylor and Drew, you would surely see Buda. Whether he was walking alongside his favorite humans or perched inside of Taylor’s backpack, Buda was having the time of his life.
When the couple’s time in Nepal came to an end, they knew they needed to start the process of getting Buda prepared for a move back to the United States. Taylor had heard horror stories about the difficult process of bringing a puppy to the US and was worried about having to quarantine Buda before his entry to the US.
To make sure that Buda could easily enter the states without risk of quarantine, Taylor and Drew had Buda examined by every vet they came across. After multiple health exams and a stack of paperwork, Buda was able to enter the US without any trouble!
Buda has now been a US citizen for a few months and is living each second of his life to the fullest. When he’s not soaking up cuddles on the couch with his favorite humans, he’s tagging along on road trips with his dedicated fur dad.
“I thought I went to Nepal to have the experience of my life, but it turns out I went to find the love of my life, and now he gets to do life with me forever.” – Taylor
We are so glad that Buda found his way into this animal loving duo’s life and have no doubt that he will continue to lead a life of adventures!
Image Source: TaylorWoodard/Facebook
Toledo, United States.
