WHAT'S FIELDWORK ALL ABOUT?

Many people think that the Animal Rescue Organisation is a group of volunteers in private cars. Think again! We employ trained Animal Welfare Assistants and consistently provide specialized training to these employees. All procedures and work carried out is under the careful directorship of Senior Veterinarian, Dr Judy Marais.

The Animal Rescue Organisation is for indigent (needy & poor) members of the public only. If you are not indigent you must take your animals to your private vet. If you require a welfare service you must produce a salary slip, an Affidavit to state it is correct and you will be requested to complete a Means Test on arrival at our clinic.

It is not understood fairly enough by society and by government that animal welfare organizations are crippled by growing expenses which they have to meet through their own initiatives while trying to cope with the impossible numbers of people who feel entitled to welfare services without giving back. Animal welfare services such as those provided by our staff are complicated services to provide. We are dictated to by financial constraints and are governed by the SA Veterinary Council. Clinics take hours of careful planning, staff must be competent and suitably trained to diagnose disease and make critical decisions regarding the correct course of action to follow.

12 Mar 2008
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OUR MOBILE CLINICS AT WORK

ARO has 3 Mobile Clinics traveling to approximately 40 communities weekly. Within these communities regular customers enjoy our assistance, while we are readily available to help new-comers too. We are constantly trying to reach the most needy of areas, and hope that in the coming months a “re-shuffle” of clinics will help reach more needy areas. There are thousands of informal settlement dwellers moving in and settling across the Peninsula and services to help the often sick and neglected animals must be provided. Even those informal settlement animals, already enjoying a life of good food and freedom to move around, must have access to dipping, deworming and vaccinations.

A policy of Sterilisation is implemented for all animals treated by ARO including animals brought to the hospital facility at ARO's base in Ottery, just outside Cape Town. The plight of unwanted animals due to over breeding of dogs in the Cape area is the biggest and most serious challenge facing ARO. Despite the ongoing sterilisation of animals, we still have to euthanase hundreds of unwanted, sick and diseased animals annually.

19 Feb 2008
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KLIPHEUWEL STERILISATION CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF TO A GRAND START.

Klipheuwel has a squalid impoverished squatter camp full of children who do not go to school and poor people in need of welfare services (1). It is pleasing to see an increase in the number of responsible pet owners in Klipheuwel seeking out sterilisation from ARO for their pets. (2) Willy, Shaun and volunteers with the PUPP vehicle collect animals from the Klipheuwel Informal Settlement near Stellenbosch and bring them through to our hospital. (3) To date over 100 dogs have been collected and sterilised. This is essential to animal health and welfare and we encourage you to support this initiative to save our animals from suffering.

More about our other Spay Campaigns currently on the go.

3 Nov 2008
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A HAPPY TAIL! This is King Rex who came from Klipheuwel Squatter Camp. He was brought to the ARO van on the end of a tight rope, dragged through the mud, frozen in terror, unable to walk due to fear ~ so he was dragged. This dog had never known a kind hand or a gentle voice. He was filthy and frightened. Rex is now living the high life, has been neutered and is lapping up a loving life of luxury. Long may King Rex live and thank you to his new Mum for taking him in.

3 Nov 2008
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ARO Clients! Many are brought in bags - well, it's one way of getting them to a clinic!

19 Jul 2008
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OUT AND ABOUT IN THE TOWNSHIPS

Travelling into township and informal settlements every day is a tough job. It is either boiling hot or wet and chilly. We can't really complain too much about weather in Cape Town, but on a hot sweaty day, it is tough to stand out at a Clinic site delivering health care to animals. Dogs, cats and livestock is what makes up the bulk of our work and seeking out new cases, following up on clients who have received care is what our work is all about. Fieldwork covers all manner of situations from MVA’s (Motor Vehicle Accidents), stab wounds, dog fighting victims, disease, neglect and abuse ~ it is all there, and often very difficult to deal with. Dealing with the people is often the most complicated business, and particularly when the owners are reluctant to sterilize their animals, or unable to pay their way. Our fieldstaff often have a difficult balance to maintain.

ARO encourages owners to pay a small fee for treatments in order for owners to understand the responsibility of keeping animals. However many owners either dodge or refuse point blank to pay anything towards a treatment for their animal's. With this in mind, it is important to stress that ARO does not turn animals in need of care away simply because an owner refuses to pay a fee.

ARO continually aims to teach owners the responsibilities of keeping animals. Some owners bring sick and severely mangey animals to be put to sleep and ask for a 'new dog' from fieldworkers. Out with the old and damaged goods and in with the new! They need to understand that a dog needs care, dipping, deworming sufficient feeding, sterilisation, etc, and that animals are not disposable property to be cast out when damaged. Paying a small fee for treatments introduces a sense of worth, value and responsibility towards animals. In the end, ARO foots 99% of the bills, and drug accounts can run into tens of thousands of Rands ~ a burden we are forced to carry.

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WORKING WITH PUPP We wish to announce a new and exciting relationship between PUPP (Project for the Upliftment of Pets and People) and the Animal Rescue Organisation. PUPP has donated 1 vehicle to ARO, manned by 2 ARO staff members who will continue to arrange collection of animals from impoverished communities for sterilization at ARO's hospital in Schaapkraal. This arrangement is a joint venture between the 2 autonomous organisations, and so far is working extremely well. You may continue to support PUPP and/or ARO as you wish, but both organisations are working to sterilise as many animals as possible. This is absolutely essential work for the betterment of animals across the Cape underprivileged communities, and we encourage you to continue your support. We will include a column on PUPP's work in future ARO newsletters. For further enquiries and donations to PUPP call Maureen Lavies on 021-712 2939 or contact Avril Thomas at ARO on 021-396 5511.

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