Jolivet – The KAP sani2c team partnered with the Rural Animal Welfare organisation for its third successful ‘spayathon’ recently, in which hundreds of animals were spayed and vaccinated.
Many locals in areas the race traverses are unable to afford to vaccinations and spaying, which is where the sani2c and the Rural Animal Welfare organisation come in to assist, helping to prevent the spread of disease and keeping local pet numbers in check.
"This was the third sani2c sponsored spayathon. Together with Rural Animal Welfare, local vets, young community service vets and volunteers 78 dogs were sterilised and just over 250 animals vaccinated," said Mandy Haw.
"The interest in this cause is growing hugely.”
With the initiative having turned a year old in March, the impact that these ‘spayathons’ are having on the local communities and their pets is vital in preventing the spread of disease and the incidence of abandoned animals.
“In March 2016, sani2c funded the first animal sterilisation and vaccination weekend held at Jolivet,” said Haw.
“Since then there have been a further two, one in the Umkomaas Valley in September 2016 and another at Jolivet in March 2017.
“Together with Rural Animal Welfare (an organisation started by Ixopo/Highflats locals Sally Hayter and Glynnis Shewan) and local vets, 217 animals have been sterilised and 722 dogs inoculated and treated.”
Local vet Lauren Williams has been involved in all three of the spayathon’s and feels that it is vital that the local communities continue to understand why these sorts of events are so important to their pets’ wellbeing.
“We don’t teach the local communities about how to look after their animals but we want them to see how we handle and treat the dogs,” she highlighted.
“Our treatments are more about the prevention of illness or disease rather than treatment and this primary healthcare initiative has been vital in keeping these animals healthy.”
For race info: [email protected] or www.sani2c.co.za