A SUCCESSFUL animal clinic was held by Outreach KZN at the Craigieburn community hall last week.
“We sterilised 301 dogs (142 males and 159 females) over three-and-a-half days. Our previous highest number of sterilisations over three days was 238, so we really appreciate how well supported this clinic was by Craigieburn residents and those in surrounding communities. Most of the animals were ‘walk-ins’, brought in by their owners, with smaller numbers being brought in by the Durban branch of Animal Anti-Cruelty League’s Sipho Mkhize and Benjamin Albers and Nicky Koekemoer of Four Paws and a Tale Rescue,” said Outreach KZN project co-ordinator, Hilda Hermann.
The animals admitted to the clinic were sterilised, vaccinated (5-in-1 and rabies injections) and treated for internal and external parasites (worms, ticks, fleas).
Nicky’s association with Outreach KZN started started several years ago.
“A few years ago the SPCA was involved with Outreach KZN and I used to take my dogs to the outreach programme. The arrangement between these two organisations ended and I was left stranded, having to pay for all my own sterilisations. After Outreach KZN joined forces with the Animal Anti Cruelty League, they remembered seeing my name on the forms and made contact. It was then decided that they would do a week-long sterilisation campaign in Craigieburn as 4 Paws and a Tale Rescue is based here and I could keep an eye on the dogs in the area after they were done.”
She contacted ward councillor Bayeni and he spread the word during his meetings with the community and flyers were also sent out. “What a turnout we had. The areas we covered were Craigieburn, Magabheni, Amahlongwa and Ilfracombe. Owners of those animals with other ailments have been given my contact number and I have theirs and we will do what we can to get to those problems treated at our expense.”
The clinic set-up was done on Monday, 11 May and on Tuesday morning the sterilisations started. “Four vets were on duty along with technicians and other staff helped with the shaving of tummies, intubating and getting them ready for the vets to do the operations. Once the operation was done, others took over and the dogs were placed in a large, closed-in pen where they slept until they were ready to go home. At any one time we had some 20 dogs laying side by side. It has been an amazing experience and we could not do only two of the 100 dogs I feed as we could not catch them.”
Since late 2011, Outreach KZN has been supported and funded by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Veterinary Services Division, headed by Dr Themba Sikhakhane.
The project is currently implemented through Animal Anti-Cruelty League’s Durban branch. To date, close to 25,000 animals have been sterilised through its field clinics and static clinics.
One of the main aims of Outreach KZN is to reduce animal welfare problems, particularly in but not limited to low-income areas. “We are conscious of the link between human and animal health care, and that, by improving the health of animals, we are also contributing to social welfare development. Bacteria, parasite and virus control is as important as alleviating over-population of companion animals,” said Hilda.
“If one surmises that 50% of the animals sterilised through the project were females, capable of producing about 25 offspring each, this means that Outreach KZN has effectively prevented over 300,000 births. While this is not tangible, its effects are recognised in reduced instances of unwanted or neglected animals (welfare concern), reduced vaccination burden and cost in KZN and healthier communities.”
With the ongoing support of the department, the project will be able to extend its services to a wider population and continue to play an important role in combatting animal and, therefore, public health issues through sterilisation, vaccination and parasite control measures.
