A violent storm has torn through Cape Town, South Africa. Countless dogs, cats and horses have been devastated by this disaster, and they desperately need your help RIGHT NOW.
We must act IMMEDIATELY to repair damage to our partner shelters and rescue, shelter, feed and treat helpless animal victims caught in the aftermath of this storm.
Over the past week, multiple cold fronts ravaged the region, leaving a trail of destruction. Torrential rainfall has unleashed widespread flooding and ruptured riverbanks, while gale-force winds howling at up to 49 miles per hour (80 km/h) have torn roofs from houses, destroyed buildings and brought down power lines.
Can you imagine the nightmare the animals are living through?
In times of disaster, desperate and frightened animals are lost, confused and left to fend for themselves on the storm-battered streets.
The onslaught of harsh weather has left countless animals starving, freezing, susceptible to disease and infection and at severe risk of grievous injury or even DEATH from drowning, trees and buildings collapsing in the storm, or being struck by drivers who can’t see through the downpour.
Credit: Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter
In crises like this, we always race into action for the animals. Working with our partners on the ground, and fuelled by your generosity, we can help rush emergency aid and save the lives of countless dogs, cats and horses in distress.
Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter in the impoverished Khayelitsha township is battling severe flooding and significant wind damage to its hospital roof. The storm has put the area’s animals at severe risk, and with dogs and cats pouring in after being rescued or rushed in for emergency care, the need for funds is URGENT!
Already stretched beyond capacity and operating on a shoestring budget, they desperately need funds for emergency medical supplies, shelter repairs and food and blankets for the influx of injured, rescued animals.
Dogs face drowning, injury and death as the city is pummeled by brutal storms, and with more heavy rain predicted in the days ahead, the need is more urgent than ever!
Credit: Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter
Despite the dangers, our teams braved the harsh elements, venturing into the most impoverished areas of Cape Town to rescue vulnerable dogs and cats who have no one else to turn to.
In these informal, often illegal settlements, houses and infrastructure are poorly built with scrap materials – and when disaster strikes, winds at these speeds tear off corrugated iron roofs and send them spinning through the air, while water gushes down the informal roads, flooding backyards and killing everything in its wake. To make matters worse, people in these areas often keep their dogs chained up outside, so they can't even escape the high-speed debris and rising floodwaters.
We must provide vulnerable rescued animals with food, warmth and care!
Dogs and cats aren’t the only animals suffering through the horrific storms. Horses have lost their home too, and we desperately need your help to restore hope!
Tom Ro Haven in Noordhoek, a sanctuary for horses rescued from abominable abuse and neglect, faces devastation from flooding that has destroyed their grounds and storage facilities. Strong winds have damaged horse stalls and rising water levels threaten grazing areas with a stream of hazardous debris, including glass, sharp rocks and garbage, stripping vital food sources even as the weather decimates their back-up supplies.
Facing severe food shortages and dangerous weather with no space to escape the elements, these horses are in serious trouble. The most critical needs are to replace washed-away food supplies, repair damaged infrastructure and provide emergency medical care to protect the horses from painful conditions like hoof rot and equine flu, exacerbated by the cold, wet conditions.
Rising water levels have destroyed storage and grazing areas at Tom Ro Haven.
Credit: Tom Ro Haven
If we can raise $8,000 (£6,200), we can repair the damage to BOTH shelters and rush emergency food, blankets and medical care to storm-stricken animals, while we continue rescuing those in desperate need.
Please, donate RIGHT AWAY!
These rescued dogs, cats and horses found safety, comfort and love at Mdzananda and Tom Ro Haven. Now, their sanctuaries are in crisis through no fault of their own, and we must act NOW to provide emergency aid.
Cape Town often faces harsh cold fronts and storms in the winter months, but multiple storms of this magnitude in such a short time are completely unprecedented. Our partner shelters and the animals they care for were unprepared for this extraordinary crisis. But with your help, we can be the lifeline they desperately need to weather the storm.
Credit: Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter
The vulnerable animals of Cape Town, South Africa, really need YOUR help right now, and we implore you from the bottom of our hearts: please donate to Network for Animals today. Your support will help us save lives by restoring the animals’ forever homes to their former glory AND providing them with essential food, care and comfort following this disaster.
For the animals,
P.S. These dogs, cats and horses have been rescued from abuse, neglect and harsh lives on the streets. Now, their sanctuaries are at risk, and they are facing the harrowing possibility of being without food, warmth and care because of a never-ending series of devastating storms. We cannot allow this to happen. The animals need every bit of help they can get. Please donate right away!
Banner credit: Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter