December saw us continuing our fight for the welfare of animals in some of the harshest parts of the world. Here’s how your donations helped animals in desperate need this month:
Mali
In the African nation of Mali, the brutal dog meat trade is thriving. The trade, most commonly associated with certain Asian countries, is one of the most horrific and stomach-churning animal welfare issues in the world and shockingly, it continues unabated in many African nations. For years, we have led the fight to end the dog meat trade in the Philippines. Now, we turn our attention to Mali, where innocent and trusting dogs are led to markets and ruthlessly slaughtered for human consumption. Crushed while still alive or flattened like pancakes, they do not deserve to suffer like this – no animal does! Our long-term goal is to encourage as many dog-slaughterers as possible to end their cruel trade and turn to sustainable cereal farming instead. We appealed to you for donations, which are critical in the crusade against this brutality. This is a long-term project and we will continue to fight for the dogs for as long as it takes to end their suffering.
Mauritius
In Mauritius, 67 dogs and 100 cats face eviction from the only place they are safe: a sanctuary where they are cared for and protected from the authorities who ‘exterminate’ street animals as pests. Sameer Golam runs the Second Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR). He provides shelter for these animals and regularly feeds and treats hundreds more around the island. Because there is no suitable animal shelter on the island, Sam has had no choice but to keep the animals he rescues in his home. However, Sam has been ordered to remove the animals from his house. Back on the street, they’ll face a nightmare: homeless animals are regularly rounded up and stabbed to death so that they can’t be a ‘nuisance’ to tourists. When we heard about his plight, we had just two months to save the dogs and cats by finding and funding a suitable new shelter. We reached out to you with this heartrending story and you donated generously. So far, you have helped us raise crucial funds, but we still need to raise an additional $8,000 (£5,900) to get these animals to safety. We have just six weeks left. We’ll keep you updated on this story.
Noordhoek, South Africa
The Tom Ro Haven for Equines and Children in Cape Town, South Africa, is a safe haven for abused and neglected horses and ponies. Many old animals are cared for there including Moonlight, a gentle old fellow who was left to starve in a paddock by his owner. Thanks to our supporters, we were able to provide the haven with a donation to assist with much-needed food and medical care. As well as rehabilitating rescued animals, the haven offers a healing program for children and adults suffering from physical and emotional trauma. This therapy benefits the community, and the equines, helping them to learn to trust humans again.
Cape Town, South Africa
We often hear the saying “a dog is a human’s best friend”, and in this case, Jewel really is her owner’s guardian angel. Michael O’Donoghue, Jewel’s owner, suffers from Temporal Plus Epilepsy, causing him to have frequent life-threatening seizures. Since he adopted Jewel, South Africa’s first Seizure Response Service Dog, his life has changed completely. Jewel is able to detect when Michael is about to have a seizure and push a special emergency button that sends an alert for help. When Jewel was diagnosed with Carpal Valgus Angular, a painful limb deformity requiring expensive surgery, Michael reached out to us for help. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to pay for her surgery, and we are happy to report that it was a success! Today, Jewel is back to her happy, tail-wagging, life-saving self. Your kindness has changed Michael and Jewel’s lives forever and for that, they are so thankful – and so are we.
Also in Cape Town, we were able to provide emergency funding to two terribly abused animals rescued by African Tails animal welfare organization. Pretty Boy the cat had been walking around with a bone protruding from his back leg after most likely being hit by a car. His callous owners ignored his wounds for a week, and it was only when a neighbor reported his injuries that he was helped.
At the same time, JP was found dumped on the side of the road, terrified and in a shocking state. X-rays revealed a large, life-threatening obstruction in his stomach, which later turned out to be a kidney-related issue. Both animals needed expensive surgery: Pretty Boy to have his leg amputated and JP, once he’s strong enough, will need to have surgery to remove the obstruction. Your donations made it possible for us to fund these urgent operations. JP will be up for adoption once he’s recovered, and in wonderful news, Pretty Boy has been adopted by the foster family who cared for him after his surgery. Your donations have helped to give these precious animals another chance at the happy, loving life they deserve.
Bela-Bela, South Africa
Recently, our partner Marc Ward of Have a Heart Equine Sanctuary (HAHES) in rural Bela-Bela, alerted us to a horrific case of donkey abuse – but this time, the outcome is a victory for animal welfare and for the donkeys!
A donkey named Blaze was found wandering the hot and dusty streets of Bela-Bela, alone and with open seeping wounds – wounds that later turned out were the result of having had boiling water thrown over him. Blaze’s owner had received several warnings in the past for not looking after his donkeys and when one of his donkeys was tragically killed after being knocked down by a vehicle. When it emerged that Blaze, too, was one of his animals, Marc opened a case of negligence and abandonment against him. Charges were laid under the Animals Protection Act and after two court appearances, the donkey owner was found guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison. This is profound news, and Network for Animals (NFA) is proud to be a part of the positive change for animal welfare in Bela-Bela.
Khayelitsha, South Africa
Recently, we were alerted to a desperate situation in the South African township of Khayelitsha – 100 dogs and 28 cats at the Mdzananda Animal Clinic faced starvation because of critically low food supplies at the shelter. These kinds of situations are the exact reason we established our Little Acts of Kindness program, so of course, we jumped into action. Thanks to your donations, we were able to provide the clinic with enough food to feed the animals for at least a month and a half, easing the pressure on their reserves and keeping little bellies full. It’s only with the help of your generous support that we could step in and make a difference for these animals. Thank you for continuing to enable us to reach out and lend a helping hand to animals in need all over the globe.
An update from Jordan!
In February 2021, we appealed to you for support in helping poor Apollo, a dog who was deliberately hit by a car in Jordan and left badly injured on the roadside. Fortunately, he was found by a kind woman who contacted our partner, the Al Rabee shelter, to help him. At the time, the extent of his injuries was unclear, but he appeared to be paralyzed and the odds of him being able to walk again were slim. But Apollo’s story is proof that miracles can happen!
Because of your donations, we were able to pay for Apollo’s specialized medical treatment, pain medication and intensive rehabilitation at Al Rabee, and after months of treatment, the unimaginable happened: Apollo began to use his back legs again! He began to walk, play, and even run. We were then more elated to hear that Apollo had found his forever home in the US, with his dad, Randy Carnes, and his nine cat and dog siblings! It’s thanks to the unwavering support of people like you, our supporters, that dogs like Apollo get a second chance at life.
A ‘pawsome’ selfie of Apollo, now nicknamed Foxxy Browne, and dad, Randy.
As always, it is thanks to your donations that we’re able to provide help and a glimpse of hope for animals in need around the world. Thank you for being a friend to NFA and thank you for being a friend to the animals. We wouldn’t be where we are without you – and neither would they.
