Dozens of veterinarians and volunteers have yet again given their time and skills to set up makeshift clinics in impoverished Cape communities to sterilise more than 1 500 pets in a collaborative programme between the City of Cape Town and animal welfare organisations.
Since this City funded project began in 2013, more than 15 000 animals have been spayed and neutered at a cost of R6 million.
“Animal welfare is a critical part of community health and upliftment initiatives,” said Karen de Clerk, chairperson of the Cape Animal Welfare Forum (CAWF).
“Our grateful thanks to the City of Cape Town for their continued support. This positive intervention will reduce the instance of unwanted litters substantially.” Sterilisation not only prevents unwanted litters, but also helps prevent the spread of contagious diseases, as male dogs and cats no longer wander in search of females on heat.
During November 12 animal-welfare organisations and nine surgical teams under CAWF focused on animals in Macassar and Eerste River. Sam Mann, clinic coordinator at EberVet Community Veterinary Care (CVC) and a representative of The Outreach Program animal welfare organisation, said the experience had been incredibly heart-warming, despite initial resistance from some pet owners.
“The highlight for me of this whole project was how grateful the pet owners were for the help.”
EberVet CVC was allocated Electric City in Eerste River, where it secured the Step Up Ministries Church hall as a venue for the clinic and where seven of its veterinarians and dozens of volunteers sterilised 145 pets. It had another 20 to sterilise, which it was due to do at EberVet Pet Clinic in Strand over the following two weeks. All animals were also protected with parasite control for preventing tick and flea-borne illnesses like biliary and tapeworm.
“This is definitely something we’d like to continue to participate in from now on,” said Mann. “Hats-off to the City of Cape Town for funding this amazing initiative.”
