Ncandu Animal Clinic’s doors will be open to the public for the duration of the 21-day national lockdown.
“Animals need to be cared for even in these dire circumstances regarding the lockdown. Us, as veterinarians, have a duty to the animal community of Newcastle and all pet owners,” said local veterinarian, Anne Mackenzie.
Mackenzie went on to explain the facility has implemented protocols to limit the amount of individuals visiting the clinic at one time.
“We limit the amount of consultations per shift at the clinic, ensuring the vets’ rooms do not become too overcrowded. We encourage social distancing while only seeing one patient at a time, ensuring the safety of everyone. We also clean the facility on a regular basis and try to educate the public on personal hygiene such as regular hand washing and sanitising.”
Going into the second week of the national lockdown, Mackenzie explained the clinic had not been ‘too busy’ and the general public was ‘more than accommodating’ with the new rules and regulations.
“The majority of the cases we have seen in the past week are emergencies such as bee stings and dog bites, but overall it has not been frantic. Animals are still being cared for in the animal hospital here at the Ncandu Clinic, and we have staff who monitor the animals on a regular basis. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak however, we have postponed visiting hours to the animals until further notice.”
Mackenzie went on to explain balancing her personal life with work has been challenging since the lockdown began. She said juggling responsibilities had become the new norm.
“I am a mother and have to ensure my children are completing their home schooling activities, and still care for my family, but passion drives us and keeps us sane; we want to ensure the best outcome for every animal which enters our doors. These are difficult times indeed, but we should not lack compassion and ignore our responsibilities. At the end of the day, the work still has to be done and animals need to be cared for.”
The consulting hours for the Ncandu Animal Clinic are as follows:
Monday to Friday – 10am until 12pm.
Saturday- 8am until 12pm.
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