Faced with a Gang of Street Dogs, She Did This — And Became Their Favorite Person

What would you do if you were riding a bike and came across a gang of stray dogs—caramel-colored, black, and mixed-breeds? Would you speed up or stop?

If you sped up, they’d chase you. And if you stopped, they might bite your ankles. Tough call, right? Haha.

That’s exactly what happened to Paloma Merath and her friend, who live in Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

They chose to stop—but don’t worry—they weren’t bitten. In fact, they were happily greeted by dogs Paloma has been caring for over the past year.

The gang, as Paloma affectionately calls them, is made up of five members: Deb, Loud, Piriquito, Froid and Toquinho. They live near the young woman’s house.

But Paloma doesn’t just care for these five. She also feeds Renata, Xirley, Pretinha, Beethoven, Negão, Nego, Snoop, and Vovô—plus the occasional stray she comes across.

Paloma is a true inspiration!

On her Instagram and TikTok accounts—with over 148,000 followers—she shares her efforts and inspires others to do the same.

Of course, not everyone can help the way she does—but simply not ignoring the suffering of these defenseless animals, and doing something small like placing a bowl of water outside your home, already makes a difference.

Palo told Amo Meu Pet (our Brazilian pet news website) that she has been helping street animals since she was a child and the reason for this is the immediate return she receives from them: “affection, true love and a lot of loyalty”.

“I feed them, I care for them—and in return, they fill me with joy,” Paloma said.

The woman from Rio feeds the dogs every day on her way to work. In addition, some local business owners help feed them too.

Paloma always bought food and medicine with her paycheck, but as her social network grew and gained visibility, big brands like Dalpet and Cobasi started to help.

“Dalpet and Cobasi donated food, and my Instagram followers always come together to help when I organize fundraisers.”

All the effort put into caring for these animals makes Paloma feel fulfilled!

“Taking care of them fills me up—it makes me feel that the mission God gave me is tough, but rewarding,” she shared.

Furthermore, the young woman states:

“Knowing that they wait for me anxiously every day made me realize that my importance in their lives is enormous, and they are just as important to me,” she concluded.

Check out the video where Paloma parks the motorcycle to feed the dogs.

Paloma’s attitude in caring for the “gang” is an example of empathy and responsibility, reminding us that small gestures of compassion can make a big difference in the lives of those who need it most.

To follow Paloma on social media, click here.