This project will allow us to buy Dog Food and distribute it to dogs and to families who are unable to feed their dogs, due to huge losses of jobs and income created in the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic in South Africa. When a family has no money even to feed their own children or buy their own food, their dogs and animals will suffer. This funding will allow us to buy dog food or animal food to prevent starvation of animals in the community.
Families in the rural and impoverished villages are turning to us begging for help for their animals. Dogs are being seen malnourished and starving in the streets as Covid-19 impacts families incomes, and this in turn, impacts the families ability to buy dog food... At this time, and for the foreseeable future, the poor communities will be severely financially impacted, and we don't want any animals, or dogs to suffer during this time. We want to prevent starvation due to loss of income.
The funding from this project will enable us to run a weekly community outreach, identifying dogs and animals who are in need of food, identifying truly struggling and suffering households and supporting them with basic dog food on a weekly basis. We cannot expect those with no food to even feed their children to survive during this time, and whilst there are many food support programs for people and children - we recognize the suffering will inherently ripple through and impact their animals.
Re-iterating the one health principle: healthy animals linked to a healthy environment linked to healthy people. Right now we need to focus on health, well being and resilience of people but also of their animals. The long-term impact will be a deepening relationship with the community on animal kindness & welfare, extending our network of families who want to engage in our animal health programs, dipping, sterilizations, etc after Covid-19. And the comfort of knowing we prevented starvation.
