Kingston Community Animal Welfare is the only organization helping cats and dogs that live on Kingston's streets and AKI is the only organization that supports KCAW's work to help street cats and dogs and pets that belong to poor people. These are some of the cats and dogs that KCAW helps (stories and pictures from KCAW's Deborah Binns). All cat and dog food and vet care are provided by AKI donors!
These dogs and pups live in a yard in a depressed area of Kingston. I had all the females spayed in March--no more puppies for these girls, and I had the males neutered in May. I de-wormed all the pups and instructed the owner how to mix/use Triatix as they all had terrible tick infestations. Now that I know about this home, I visit weekly to deliver food for the dogs. The owner cares about them, they just started reproducing and the number got out of hand! We put a stop to that.
I was feeding Girl (the dog I pulled out of the gully by her scruff-years ago) when I saw this itty bitty thing running away across the street into the gully, running from two boys. I barely caught her before she was about to jump! I named her Sci Fi. Why? Well, you only have to look at her face. When I found her, she looked like something out of a science fiction movie. She had one eye almost completely out of the socket. Those 2 boys kicked out her eye!--I gave them a talking to. Despite all her pain, once inside the car she began climbing everywhere! That was an encouraging sign. I took her to the vet for emergency surgery. She is the bravest little kitty I have ever seen!
The vet had to remove her eye. She was so tiny they had to custom make her collar.
It didn't take long before Sci Fi made herself at home at my house. I think she's decided to stay.
I was driving home late one afternoon [at the end of April] when I turned the corner on my hill and had to come to a screeching stop! There in the MIDDLE of the road (thank goodness it was a quiet day) were these three little guys! As happy as could be! But no sign of mama. I think they were looking for her. They exited an open lot with thick bushes and trees. I searched for the mama after I placed them in the car [picture below] and went back the next day, but never found mom. I gave them baths, de-wormed them, and they got a warm meal.
Pups only a week later. So fat and sweet! These were the fastest pups I ever re-homed. I found great homes for all of them within a matter of days. That was end of April, almost time to follow up for their neuter appointments!
This is Ms Powell. A lovely lady who recently lost both her dogs to old age. Someone called to say she was over her grief now and wanted two new companions. This is Benji. I found Benji while driving to work about 3 weeks ago [around mid-April]. She was trying to cross the VERY busy Constant Spring main road and as I drove past I looked in the rear view to make sure she made it. Well she didn't! She kept reaching as far as the middle then had to rush back out of the way of cars! So I pulled over. I knew she wouldn't make it in rush hour traffic and most drivers DON'T stop for people much less dogs! I could tell she was going to run when she saw me get out of the car and approach her so I asked a passing "Ras" (rasta man) who was carrying his breakfast if he could help. He put his container of food on my car bonnet and together we got her! You know, I only stopped him out of desperation cause I needed another hand to cut off her escape from one side of the road so I could get her from the other. He was so nice! I couldn't stop thanking him. He must have thought I was nuts. I was lucky cause chances are 9/10 people walking past are NOT going to stop and help me catch no dirty street dog.
So Mrs. Powell not only adopted Benji, she also adopted a little white pup I named Patches that I saw casually walking on the sidewalk of a busy highway! Another happy ending!-well, 2 happy endings!
I was fast asleep on a Sunday morning when a friend who was out for an early morning jog called to say she needed help to rescue a kitty who had either fallen into a sewer or was thrown in. She couldn't get to her because the sewer was too deep. I got my catch pole and off I went! It took me over an hour to get the kitty out of there! She was hungry and dehydrated. No idea how long she was there. But it was obviously quite some time. She lives with Mr Shim now. He loves cats and loves her!
First there were two...then there were three! It happened again-these pups forced me to brake hard while driving to work one morning about 2 weeks ago. I first saw one little guy searching for food in the MIDDLE of the road! I stopped to see where he belonged. I never had to look too far, his home was right there and I saw his mama behind the gate barking like crazy at me as if to say leave her boy alone! I took out food to give him when another guy appeared! He pushed under the gate and joined in eating. So I shared more food. Only to see pup #3 come charging under the gate. Let me tell you, they were hungry! And the adult dogs in that yard were just as hungry and looked neglected. I de-wormed the pups and put some Prazivet tabs in meat and gave it to each dog.
I stop there 3 times a week now to feed the adults and pups. No humans ever come out even when the dogs are barking like crazy at me for food! The three pups look great and are putting on weight. I plan to take them to the KCAW kennels-I'm afraid they'll die if I leave them there. I will make an effort to contact whoever lives there. People have dogs and pups and let them waste away!
I used to see her every time I went to get lunch across the street at work. She was huddled in a corner beside a gas station and looked so scared and unhappy. I always bought a box of chicken lunch for her and put it beside her. She looked all raggedy and dirty and....so sad. So one one Saturday on my downtown feeding rounds, I saw her there and decided I was going to take her home. She tried to bite but I managed to get her into the car. When I got her to the KCAW kennels, I saw that she was pregnant! I named her Kennel because she wouldn't come out of the kennels no matter what you did! We saw the food disappear so we knew she was alive. She waited till dark to sneak out and poop and pee. When she saw someone she would fly back inside!
I had her spayed in May. The vet said shes was either hit by a car and built up scar tissue or suffered some trauma to her hind area and if we let her have the puppies, she may have died.
Now she spends her days outside on the grass and lazing in the sun. She waits at the back door to give me kisses! Then when she kisses me she is so excited that she spins around and takes off like a bullet running like a crazy dog around the grass! Then she comes back for more kisses! That's my Kennel!
All of these feedings, all the vet care, all the rescues are only possible thanks to AKI donors and the hard work of Deborah and KCAW's volunteers who help the helpless cats and dogs of Kingston, Jamaica. We can't do this without your support!