On 22 November in Kolkata, India’s first painter dog, Dali, created her 50th artwork — a milestone her humans wanted to make meaningful. Instead of painting alone as she usually does for animal welfare campaigns, Dali painted with children for the very first time. In collaboration with OFFER India, a Kolkata-based NGO that runs homes for orphaned, abandoned, differently-abled and HIV-positive children, Dali visited Apanjan, one of its residential care units. There, in a campus filled with children and caregivers, Dali painted her 50th artwork alongside them, marking her first-ever human-centered creation.
The children, many of whom face physical or developmental challenges, reacted instantly to her presence. Some ran freely with Dali and her younger rescue sibling, Miro; others who couldn’t walk comfortably sat and gently patted her. Dali responded with complete ease, allowing every child to approach her. Once she completed her painting, the children were given their own paper to paint on, and each one participated with enthusiasm. Her humans described the atmosphere as “magical,” saying the experience was emotional, inspiring and deeply interactive.
This artwork will be auctioned, with all proceeds directly supporting Apanjan’s children — their therapy, education, healthcare and daily needs. The painting and its video have not yet been released publicly, as the team is currently running another campaign, but will be published soon before the auction begins.
From a 45-day-old abandoned pup to India’s first painter dog
Dali’s journey began when she was rescued at just 45 days old in Hyderabad. Her future humans, who had recently lost their 13-year-old dog Pablo, found her through Facebook. Adopting her brought “new hope” into their lives, and Dali grew up surrounded by creativity — her human, Snehanshu, is an artist.
At seven months, Dali’s curiosity revealed itself. She would steal his paintbrushes and run around the house. A friend jokingly suggested giving her a brush instead of chasing her for it. When they did, she walked straight to the canvas and made her first stroke — an unexpected moment that changed everything. Though she didn’t repeat the behavior immediately, her interest was clear. Her humans decided to build a custom dog-friendly brush, attaching a brush head to a wooden block so she could hold it easily in her mouth.
Once she learned how to grip the brush and touch a surface, every artistic technique — every stroke, every direction, every pattern — came from her alone. She paints left-to-right, right-to-left, and up-and-down with no training in style. By nine months, she had completed her first full painting.
A dog on a mission: painting across India
Dali is also a traveller. She and Miro have been on the road from Hyderabad to the Himalayas and now to Kolkata. She is described as “extremely travel-friendly,” adapting effortlessly to new environments, weather and landscapes. These travels are part of a larger mission: Dali aims to paint in all 28 states of India, creating a world record while raising funds for street animals in every state.
So far, she has painted in:
- Telangana
- Goa
- Andhra Pradesh
- Odisha
- West Bengal
The next stop in her journey is Sikkim. Each state-wise painting becomes part of a national campaign to fund the treatment of injured or critically ill street dogs.
Her colours, her technique, her personality
Dali paints using watercolours, a medium she enjoys because she loves water. Her humans usually give her a controlled colour palette of three to four shades. She tends to respond most strongly to blue and yellow, colours dogs are believed to perceive more vividly — a pattern confirmed across many of her works.
Her personality is as expressive as her art: she is mischievous, playful, people-loving, and a huge foodie. As a retriever, she loves grabbing things and running around the house, turning it into a game. She and Miro are inseparable — they play, sleep and travel together.
Impact that reaches far beyond India
Dali’s art has reached audiences around the world. Her videos are viewed in South America, the United States, Canada, Europe and China. Many viewers message her humans saying her art calms them, lifts their mood or gives them a sense of new hope. Some call her paintings therapeutic. Her humans say that although many people find it amusing that a dog paints at all, a growing number appreciate the art itself — understanding the joy and emotion behind it.
They believe Dali represents resilience, compassion and the belief that creativity can come from the purest place — a lesson they say she teaches them every day.
What’s next for Dali
Apart from the auction of her 50th painting, Dali’s next major project is her 2026 calendar, launching in the coming days. Her 2025 calendar — her first major campaign — raised ₹35,000 for the treatment of critically ill street dogs in Hyderabad, helping several abandoned or injured animals recover fully.
This year’s calendar will follow the same model, with worldwide shipping and all proceeds funding emergency treatment for street animals.
A rescued dog painting hope — now for children, too
Dali’s 50th painting marks a turning point — not just for her art, but for her purpose. From an abandoned 45-day-old pup to a travelling artist, fundraiser and now a creator of joy for differently-abled children, her journey shows how compassion can come full circle. A rescue dog who once needed help is now helping others — animals and children alike — using nothing but a paintbrush and her instinctive joy for creation.
