FOR 2016 & BEYOND, PLEASE SEE OTHER AKI BLOG POSTS ABOUT HOW THE USPCA USES AKI FUNDS
This post compiles some of AKI's support to USPCA during 2011-2015. During that time, donations to AKI meant that we could cover a large portion of Uganda SPCA's operating costs. Because of AKI donors, the USPCA was able to purchase needed medicines and cat and dog food, had funds to cover the cost of transport for Haven staff to respond to cruelty complaints, pay for shelter renovations, and cover vet costs for Haven cats and dogs, including spay/neuter. We paid salaries and rent and supported other priorities--all the things that it takes to run the USPCA. Thanks to AKI donors, during 2011-2015, we were able to help the USPCA rescue and care for so many cats and dogs! Some of their pictures and stories are below (and there are so many more-we couldn't fit them all into this post!)
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AKI's 3rd disbursement of 2014 to USPCA paid for one month of USPCA staff salaries, 3 months of dog and cat food and special food for kittens and puppies, kennel repairs, propane, electricity, transport and airtime for USPCA field staff, purchase of crates and vaccination certificates, and vet care for some of the rescued animals. Brigitte from USPCA sent this message, "We could not have rescued 103 dogs and puppies and 39 cats and kittens without your support. Your donations also helped us to treat animals from free community clinics."
This little black and white kitten was rescued on 9 February 2015 after he fell into a pit latrine in Naguru. He was adopted in April! This was one of Alex's 1st-of several-latrine rescues!
As Alex Ochieng tells it, "We met this wonderful girl, who was lying in agony, her skin & fur eaten up by mange. When we asked the owner, we were told the name of the puppy is "SITAANI"- meaning Satan (Ghost), because it looks very bad, just like Satan, and that no one likes it. We decided to take this pretty girl with us to the shelter. Now she has been vaccinated, treated and dewormed and her new name is Malayika meaning Angel."
In April 2015, AKI received an early morning email message from Aisha about a friendly dog living near the Bahai temple in Kampala. We (AKI) contacted Alex, and Alex went to the location, where he found the dog, who seemed like she must have been someone's pet at one time, and brought her to the shelter.
Without AKI donors, the USPCA doesn't know what they would have done for Tortoise! She was rescued in Mukono after being chased through the streets by people who wanted to kill her! That happens too often with dogs with mange--people are afraid of them because they don't understand what is actually wrong and that the condition is easily treated. You can see from these pictures that Tortoise turned into a healthy dog. She's one of several dogs whose vet costs were covered by AKI donors during this period!
This mama and her 9 puppies (below) were rescued after a doctor who works at Mulago Hospital contacted the USPCA.
Alex O. told AKI about the rescue of these two poor dogs:
"On January 10, 2015, I was informed that 2 dogs are suffering and needed our help. Reaching the place, I found 2 dogs who have been suffering for long and almost died. I asked the owner of the dogs ''what happen with the dogs?'' and she told me she didn't know because she leaves the house very early around 5am to work and comes back late hours without seeing her dogs and the caretaker always telling her the dogs are okay. Last week one of her friends visiting her place saw the dogs and was shocked. She called me and told me ''please come to Ntinda because what am seeing I can't believed my eyes''. Took me about 30 minutes to convince the owner of the dogs who claimed she love her dogs to allow me take the poor dogs to shelter. Today Monday they have a very big improvement, 1 can now run around with other dogs at the shelter." [Both dogs recovered.]
In January 2015, Simon rescued little John and brought him to The Haven.
Lily and her 9 puppies were rescued in October 2014 and brought to The Haven. But at the shelter, Lily wasn't eating. Everyone was worried about her. It took a while to figure out what was wrong, but finally the culprit was found-a mass of sticks had lodged in her mouth, making it impossible for her to eat. She had probably been eating sticks because she had no other food! When it was time for Lily to go to her forever home, the USPCA Haven staff had a farewell party for her--they had grown so attached. All of Lily's puppies were adopted as well!
Tata is one of many lucky dogs that the USPCA has rescued and rehabilitated thanks to AKI donors. Tata was found on the side of the road, close to death (see picture 1 below, her 1st day at The Haven). USPCA staff think that she may have been abandoned because of skin problems. Within just a few weeks (picture 2 below), she became a happy, well-adjusted dog, always ready to play!
The USPCA received a call about a dog stuck in a drainage ditch. When the USPCA team arrived, they found this guy - the fight for his life had gone out of him. But they were able to rescue him in time, and bring him back to The Haven. People from the community told the USPCA team that he had been in the ditch for 2 days! Under the care of USPCA Vet, Dr. Alex, he recovered.
This guy (Skamper) was hit by a speeding car. He was in pain and crying, but no one could help him until the USPCA team arrived. They had been called about another dog with an injury, but luckily came across this guy, and quickly changed plans, rescued him, and brought him to The Haven, where Dr. Alex took over this care. Skamper had a broken leg, but fully recovered.
The USPCA received a call about six puppies and their mother living in a hole in the ground. The USPCA team went to the site and found their hiding place. It took about an hour, but eventually Alex was able to remove all puppies. They were brought to The Haven and all were adopted.
Holly: She arrived at The Haven on 12 March 2014, her eyes barely open. Luckily, she had been found on the road and rescued before something happened to her. For a few weeks, Alex had to feed her every couple of hours. In early July, at about 4 months old, Joan adopted Holly!
January 2014 saw several kitties rescued and brought to The Haven. As always, donations to AKI helped pay transport and cell phone airtime to assist with the actual rescues, and for vet care and cat food once at The Haven.
Mange can be so painful and debilitating. Lucky for these guys that they were rescued and treated at The Haven-all in early 2014-and AKI's disbursement to the USPCA helped cover costs for their care. Lelik-picture 1; street dog shown during rescue and settled into the vehicle for transport to The Haven; and puppy with a bad case of mange-before and after treatment pictures.
Early 2014 saw some nice adoptions, as well--which is always a good balance to the many rescues from early 2014!
Alex Ochieng (Haven manager) told us the story of Topy and her puppies: "Early this year [2013], I was in some schools in Mukono District for Humane Education and it seems that one of the children was very interested with what I told them during our lessons. The child had been watching this poor mum in their area producing puppies every season and the boda-boda guys making money from selling the puppies. One day, last month, the little boy saw the poor dog, which they named Topy, pregnant again. This time the boy said no way and he must do something to help this dog. He went to ask their neighbor how they can contact us and he found that the neighbor knew this dog very well and was planning to call us about it. They called us, reaching there, we found Topy and we took Topy and her puppies to The Haven, and there will be no more puppies for Topy."
Dogs Left to Die
October 2013: The USPCA team rescued these 4 poor dogs from an old plot in Chwa 2 road near the Trinidad and Tobago Embassy. The dogs were locked in the compound and left to die! One was already dead when the USPCA arrived. Alex told AKI, "This is a high level of animal cruelty that mankind can make on animals and we thank Mr. Micky for giving us the information."
Haven Manager, Alex, rescued these 3 dogs - one male and two females - on 11 October 2013 from MacDowel Courts gate at Luzira. The community called the USPCA and informed them that there were three dogs sleeping outside the gate and people were afraid to enter and leave. Community members were planning to stone the dogs to death! The dogs wanted to attack Alex when he arrived, but he calmed them down. Alex talked to the community and explained that they should not stone dogs--that there is a more humane way-contact the USPCA!
On 14 December 2012, Alex and Remmy headed to Kitintale slums, where a USPCA volunteer had informed them about a dog stuck in a drainage ditch for three days without eating. When they reached there, according to Alex, they "found a very lovely dog in the tunnel waiting for help and people just passing him, some throwing stones on him and no where to run. We rescued the dog and brought him to The Haven. We named him Tunnel. Unfortunately we found his one leg broken."
From Alex Ochieng (November 2012): "This morning, Alex Kamusiime informed us that near Ntinda new market there was a pack of at least 15 dogs and the community wanted to poison them. We went to visit the place and he was right...there were 11 dogs at that moment and two puppies. It was a rainy afternoon and all the dogs were under a big bus. We went to look for the puppies...and we found one dead....it was really heart breaking but we were more determined to save all the pack before they all will have the same destiny. We informed the community that they should bury the small body to avoid disease transmission.
All the members of the pack were seriously damaged. They were covered in open wounds and scratches. All dogs had walking difficulties but they were not afraid cos they were extremely hungry.
We finally got 3 adults and 1 male in Lorena's car and when we tried to put the forth adult male...all escaped and we had to start again...this time more difficult cos the dogs loose confidence with us. Finally we had 4 adults and 1 male puppy in the car. We decided that we had to come back for the others...specially there was a black one that need urgent attention. During the car trip to The Haven they all vomit in the car but they were pretty calm....When we arrive at The Haven, Dr. Alex looked at the wounds and said that most of them were machete cuts!!!! Made by humans!!!!!!
All these animals really deserve a second chance, they have suffer a lot. We are sure that after the rehabilitation process all of them will find a great home with love and care!!!!!!!
The End, Alex."
An AKI Donor Designated USPCA's Community S/N Program for His Donation (2011)
An AKI donor sent a contribution to AKI, designating the USPCA spay/neuter program, and the USPCA was able to sterilize 8 dogs--4 females, 4 males. The dogs live at an orphanage run by nuns in Entebbe (photos below). There are about 40 orphans there, from babies to young adults. About 20 of them go to boarding school and come back to the orphanage during the holidays. The dogs that live at the orphanage protect the crops against people and animals. During the day, the dogs are free to roam around at the orphanage, and in the evening, they are taken to the fields, which they guard. Besides the s/n surgery, the dogs were also de-wormed and vaccinated against rabies.
December 2011 update:
The remaining funds from this AKI supporter's donation for s/n allowed the USPCA to spay female dogs at a flower farm near Entebbe. About 1800 people work there, and many dogs roam the area. Vet David did the surgery, and gave the USPCA a special price of about US$45 per dog, including rabies shots and the dart/tranquilizer (the dogs weren't used to being touched, so they all had to be darted).
In 2011, this mama dog and her 12 puppies were rescued and brought to The Haven--The USPCA continues to hold spay/neuter clinics and promote s/n as one of their primary roles--with the aim of preventing the the cycle of reproduction/unwanted births/cruelty and abandonment.
