When Lilongwe (Malawi) SPCA holds community spay/neuter clinics and vaccination days in villages around Lilongwe, they send the word out through the Chiefs the week before clinic day. Then, on clinic day, villagers bring their dogs and cats to be sterilized, vaccinated, and to receive whatever vet care they need. The villagers have neither access nor money to take their animals for treatment to a private vet. So LSPCA clinics are their only way of helping their animals.
These clinics not only provide care for dogs, cats, and other animals, they are also a learning experience for the community. Often, for the 1st time, community members witness animals being treated kindly. The children who attend the clinic learn how to care for the family's pets.
The clinics always attract long lines (see pictures below).
AKI sent sutures to LSPCA, which came in handy at this 7 January 2015 spay/neuter event (3 pictures below).
LSPCA community vet clinics prevent the birth of puppies and kittens and provide vet treatment. They also are a learning experience. And they PREVENT so much cruelty! For example, LSPCA staff rescued this mama dog (pictures below), a stray, when they found her with a wire snare around her abdomen and right hind foot. She was in such severe pain, she wasn't able to suckle the pups! At the LSPCA clinic, she was given anesthesia and the snare was removed. She was also given pain meds and returned to her pups under the watchful eye of the vet and volunteers at the LSPCA Center. (It's because of AKI funds--thanks to our donors--that LSPCA was able to rescue and provide this care!) Too many unwanted puppies are still born, too many adult dogs are "thrown out" and left to fend for themselves.
We are so grateful to LSPCA and Dr. Ssuna Richard for the many dogs and cats they've sterilized and the people they've educated; we're grateful to AKI donors for providing funds for so much of this work. (See more pictures from LSPCA clinics below).
