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Untitled Document
Field Work
Knysna Animal Welfare is a multi-function non-profit organization, which is privately funded. In place solely for the benefit of animals, and the education of the public in regard to animal issues and the health of their pets and farm animals, the society mainly operates within the underprivileged areas of it’s jurisdiction. Each call relating to sick, unwanted, injured and neglected animals is responded to by the team. |
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“A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives.” - Albert Schweitzer, Alsatian Theologian, Musician, and Medical Missionary |
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There are several clinics run by KAWS on a daily basis, where dipping, de-worming, vaccinations and general duties relating to the well being of animals are addressed. At these clinics, the needy public are also provided with healthy food packages for their dogs and cats. The clinics are operated from the back of vans, and although rudimentary in terms of “mobile hospitals”, the job none the less is professionally executed, regardless of limitations. |
| A sponsor sterilization program is run on a weekly basis for animals from the informal settlements, where the services of local vets who perform the operations in their private surgeries at reduced rates are used. KAWS cannot unfortunately maintain the cost of an in-house vet, and the costs relating to these operations take up a large portion of available funds. |
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When call-outs are received, a two-man team responds, their duties also entailing reconnaissance missions into the townships, checking different areas, checking on the condition of animals, and pin-pointing problems within environments in which animals are domestically housed. According to Municipal by-laws and the Animal Protection Act no. 71 of 1962 there are certain criteria that need to be adhered to if dogs are to be kept as pets within the municipal boundaries. Although one of the laws is that no animal should roam free on any public road or area without supervision, especially if the animal has any kind of sickness or contagious disease, this is certainly not the case. |
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The following requirements for keeping dogs as pets are also outlined in the by-laws and it is these amongst others that keep the KAWS “watch-dogs” on the lookout.
- There may be only 2 dogs on a fenced property.
- Unless the owner has a breeding license, dogs, especially females have to be sterilized.
- The dog owner must supply sufficient shelter for the animal/animals against all weather be it rain, sunshine or wind.
- It is against the law for a dog to live chained.
- Fresh food and water must be made available at all times.
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These are some of laws that are flagrantly neglected by many of the pet-owning inhabitants of informal settlements and less affluent neighbourhoods, members of which often battle to keep house and home together for their own families.
A second two-man team run the mobile clinics in different areas on a defined roster basis. The team dip the animals for the prevention of parasite infestation, which in turn amongst other ailments causes mange, de-worm which constitutes a prevalent part of animal illness, and vaccinate against distemper which is a fatal virus usually affecting puppies and is exceptionally contagious. |
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These are some of the disease management area in which KAWS works. Parvo Virus is one of South Africa’s top 5 dog killer diseases and is another problematic area, which is addressed with urgency by KAWS.
A third vehicle fetches 8 to 10 dogs weekly from the townships for sponsor sterilization. Once the vet has completed the procedure, the animals are housed at the shelter overnight or until completely stabilized, before being returned to their owners. |
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For most of us, we are spared the horror of man’s inhumanity to animals. The KAWS team deal with the reality of animal abuse on a daily basis, humanely destroying those creatures that stand no chance of recovery from their disease and injury. Caring for those that will recover. Happily re-homing those that made it through their respective ordeals. |
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