The Khumba Ncila project recently completed two days of domestic dog sterilization as part of their sterilisation campaign for 2023. The campaign was made possible thanks to a few incredible NPO’s coming together. We as Conserv Earth take great pride with being involved with such a campaign and are proud that we were able to sponsor such an event that has an immense impact on the community.
The campaign saw a total of about twenty dogs per day and ensured that when the lovable pets headed home, they did so with great comfort being given a new blanket, dog bed and food to aid with their recovery.
The team that conducted the campaign consisted of many dedicated individuals that included Tash from Savanna Lodge, JP and his team of vet interns from Pro Life Pet Rescue and Conserv Earth being the sponsor for the event. It has proven to be a great learning curve for the vet interns as they are able to gain experiences whilst at the same time they can make a difference in multiple lives. The Khumba Ncila project had a roaming vehicle that went to the various houses to collect and drop off the dogs ensuring that as many as possible are sterilized as well as treated for any harmful diseases such as rabies. This played a crucial role in the whole campaign as not all of the owners are able to bring their pest to the clinic. There was a meal and water provided for those community members that brought their own dogs to the clinic. It was a fair amount of time to wait for the dogs to wake up post their procedure, so this allowed some time for educational aspects to be put across that included how to take care of pets and as to how to ensure they are kept safe. It was touching to see the incredible bond that they owners had with their pets and as to how they are able to calm one another down, it truly is magical to witness such an event. The hall where the sterilization took place included that of two surgical stations, a cleaning station and a recovery station. It was incredibly well organized and done in a safe manner. Prior to the dogs being taken home after the procedure, they would receive a number of donations that would allow for recovery to be a lot more comfortable.
It is vitally important to do these types of projects as not only were the dogs being sterilized to prevent future outbreak of puppies but in the same token, the dogs receiving the correct vaccinations means that there is little chance of spread of disease. This then corresponds with the surrounding wilderness areas in the sense that if the dogs do happen to make it into a game reserve, there is little chance of effecting the wild animals that inhabit the area. We hold this project close to our hearts and look forward to what the future holds.
