Animal Welfare Namibia Project #18172

Support for Have A Heart-Namibia

by Animal-Kind International

Project Report | Sep 19, 2026
AKI-HaH Namibia Update

By Karen Menczer | Executive Director, Animal-Kind International

Ash at the vet, a UTI & a scorpion bite!

They say that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," and if that's the case, we have many admirers of the AKI-HaH Namibia Emergency Fund. Several AKI supporters have seen what we've done with the Emergency Fund and requested to create their own funding mechanisms for their favorite AKI-supported group.

We now oversee a Spay/Neuter & Emergency Fund for Fondation Alliance Verte in Haiti and we're on Good DOG Fund #3 (year 3) for SPCA Grahamstown (South Africa), supporting spay/neuter and emergency vet care for dogs (and cats too) in and around Makhanda.

With success stories like these (just since June!), we're not surprised the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund has attracted imitators:

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Ash (photo above of this beautiful kitty) is a semi feral cat from Mariental with a very dedicated caretaker looking after her and the rest of her colony. All are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and fed daily. One day the caretaker noticed Ash wasn't well and managed to catch and take her to Dr Erna, who diagosed a urinary tract infection. Ash stayed at the clinic during treatment and when she was 100% better, she was returned to the colony. But later that same day, when the caretaker checked on her, it seems she had been bitten by a scorpion! The bite was very painful and Ash was not happy. Back Ash went to Dr Erna, who monitored her and gave her a topical to decrease the pain. By the following day she was fine, and returned again to her colony, where she's remained healthy and happy since then (end of June).

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Blacky (see photo) from Mariental got in a fight with other dogs and his wound became necrotic. Blacky's family asked Have a Heart for help, and we agreed that Dr Erna could provide treatment under the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund, but ONLY IF the family agreed to neuter Blacky. Treatment required several days of cleaning the wound, and during his stay at the clinic, he was also neutered.

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In mid-August, Tracy (see photo) from Rehoboth didn't feel well and her family couldn't afford a private vet. Again, we agreed that if her family agrees to have her spayed, she can get help from Dr Stephanie in Rehoboth. Immediately they agreed (In all these years, only one person has ever refused to spay his dog in return for getting help from the Emergency Fund!) Dr Stephanie put Tracy on a drip and kept her for the night. Luckily, the next day she felt so much better that she started to eat. Dr Stephanie decided to keep her for another night for observations and the next day she was so much better, she was spayed and allowed to go home later that day.

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Lillie (see photo) is another victim of tick bite fever--especially this past year, we've seen so many dogs show up at clinics all over Namibia with tick bite fever. Lillie lives in Otjiwarongo and her family really loves her. She was previously spayed by Have a Heart, and so she was automatically considered part of the HaH family and eligible for the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund. In June, Lillie's family noticed she wasn't feeling well and brought her to the clinic. It was a serious case and Lillie needed to be hospitalized, but she was so stressed at the clinic that she was allowed to go home if her family would bring her to the clinic every day for a few days for the drip. Luckily her family was willing to do that for Lillie and she fully recovered.

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This beautiful girl from Mariental (see photo) was trapped by volunteers and Dr Erna spayed her. She's part of a managed colony and when her caretakers noticed that she had trouble with her eye, they trapped her again and brought her to Dr Erna for a check up. Her eye must have been very painful. She was scratching at it like she was trying to take it out. Dr Erna removed her eye and as soon as she was awake, you could tell she felt much better. (June 2026)

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We'll end with this really nice story (but there are so many more; it's always difficult to choose just a handful!) Jonathan brought Leao to Dr Erna because he had an infected tick bite. This was definitely a case for the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund; Leao's young owner couldn't afford vet care. Dr Erna treated the tick bite, sutured the lesion, and of course while doing so, Leao was neutered and vaccinated, and he was treated against internal and external parasites - the full AKI and HaH service!

A few days later, Dr Erna received this message from Leao's owner: "Good Morning, I'm the owner of Leao the dog that was treated last week. I just wanted to give credit to the vet that was treating my dog at Vetsweb, I'm so happy and grateful beyond gratitude. In conclusion, none of this would have happened without the support of Have a Heart spay and neuter program Namibia and Animal-Kind International!"

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Certainly, this is a model worth imitating. If only all cats and dogs and their families (and those without families) had access to affordable and expert health care! That's what the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund is all about. Thank you for making this possible!

Blacky with his family-necrotic wound & neuter

Tracy-didn't feel well & was spayed

Lillie-another case of tick bite fever

Kitty's eye was removed

Jonathan & Leao-infected tick bite & neuter

Links:

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May 28, 2026
Low key, but very important Lifetime Care Program

By Karen Menczer | Executive Director, Animal-Kind International

Dipped and treated for an eye infection

In previous progress reports, we've told you a lot about the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund and the many pets the Fund has helped. We haven't mentioned very much about the Have a Heart Lifetime Care Program supported through this GlobalGiving fundraiser. That's probably because it's low key, it happens in the background, and it doesn't happen as often as often as the Emergency Fund is called upon. But the Lifetime Care Program is what keeps many dogs and cats out of the emergency clinic!

The Lifetime Care Program offers free booster shots and parasite treatment to all previously spayed or neutered HaH clients. Together with Aanwo Vet Clinic, the Lifetime Care program holds Dip Days. Dogs are brought to Aanwo, where tanks are set up and dogs are dipped to treat and prevent parasites. Cats are sometimes brought, as well. And no! They aren't dipped, but they are checked for parasites and given preventive treatments. Everyone gets their booster shots.

With tick-borne diseases rampant in Namibia, and flea infestations so common, the Lifetime Care Program prevents so much disease and discomfort. The boosters ensure that rabies, parvo, distemper, and other transmissable viruses won't spread.

In 2025, the Lifetime Care Program treated 430 dogs and 17 cats.

A recent dip day was organized by Aanow Vet Clinic (Rehoboth) and 190 dogs showed up (see pictures). Some received extra treatment when needed. All of them received a little bag of dog food to take home thanks to a local supermarket. We received this thank you from Aanwo to you, our supporters:

"Thank you so so so so much AKI for making such community outings possible, they are so important, not just to connect with dog owners but also especially when it comes to prevention of tick bite fever!"

Dipping can be fun for some dogs

The whole family joins in

Dipped, vaccinated, & food to take home

Hands are full

Links:

HaH-Namibia page on the AKI website

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Feb 8, 2026
Looking back at 2025 & forward to 2026

By Karen Menczer | Executive Directive, Animal-Kind International

Zumi and his mom

The numbers are in and in 2025, the AKI-Have a Heart-Namibia Emergency Fund covered the vet costs for 62 dogs and 30 cats. AKI support for HaH's Lifetime Care Program helped 430 dogs and 17 cats, all of whom were treated for internal and extermal parasites and given booster vaccines in 2025. A big thank you to all of you who support us through this GlobalGiving project!

Here are some (of the many) Emergency Fund cases from October through December 2025:

Zumi from Otjiwarongo is a three month old boy who gave us a big scare. Zumi's family really loves their pets (see picture above) and they try their best to provide for them. Their other cat and dog are already Have a Heart clients, having been fixed by HaH.

In December, Zumi's family noticed that Zumi had a bad gash on his stomach. Most likely he was bitten, but barbed wire or razor wire are also possible culprits. Zumi's family tried to treat the gash themselves, but they weren't able to-it only looked worse by morning and they rushed Zumi to the vet clinic. Very lucky for everyone because the gash was so deep, it could only be treated by a vet. Zumi needed stitches. After a few hours of recovery Zumi was allowed to go back home with his happy and very relieved family.

January update: Zumi returned to the vet clinic for his neuter surgery! --an AKI and HaH requirement for Emergency Fund eligibility.

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Leila from Gobabis would not be alive without the Emergency Fund! Leila was hit by a speeding car and was left in the road in pain. Leila needed to get to a vet, but her family couldn't afford an emergency like this. They contacted the local clinic who referred them to HaH, and together, we gave the go-ahead to treat Leila using the Emergency Fund. Leila is only 4 years old and has a long life ahead of her with her loving family.

Leila was given pain meds and then had to be transported to the other clinic in town for xrays. The xrays clearly showed she had a fracture, and surgery was scheduled. We were so relieved to hear that the vet managed to save her leg. Leila had to stay at the clinic for 5 days under observation and for pain management. Everyone was so happy for her when it was time to go home (photo below).

January update: Leila returned to the clinic in January to have the pin removed and we got the news that her leg healed perfectly.

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Minkie is a very loved girl from Leonardville. When she showed signs of neurological problems, her owners rushed her to the clinic of Dr Beukes in Gobabis. Minkie may have had a stroke, but it really wasn't clear. She may have been stung by something, possibly a scorpion. What was clear was that she was not ok! At the clinic, Minkie was in "intensive care." (photo below) After a few days of touch and go, we and Minkie's family got the best news: she had recovered from whatever ailed her and could go home.

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Little Brave is from Otjiwarongo. We don't know how, but he broke his leg (photo below). Luckily it wasn't a difficult break and the clinic in Otjiwarongo helped with a supportive bandage and pain meds.

January update: Brave returned to the clinc for a check up and his leg had healed fully. He is booked for his neuter surgery in the next available slot.

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Mieksie is a much loved girl from Otjomuise, a township of Windhoek. She was previously spayed by HaH (her healed scar is visible on her belly), making her part of the HaH Family. One day she came home with a huge gash on her stomach (photo below). Like Zumi, it may have occurred when she jumped over something and got cut by barbed wire or, worse, razor wire. Luckily, her family cares very much about her and luckily, they knew of the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund, the perfect solution for cats like Mieksie. Windhoek Animal Hospital treated the injury; it was cleaned, stitched, and she was given antibiotics, and sent home (photo below).

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Thank you so much from Animal-Kind International, Have a Heart-Namibia, all the dogs and cats helped through the Emergency Fund, and from their grateful families!

Leila--happy to be heading home

Minkie: feeling a little better, not yet 100%

Brave: a broken front leg

Mieksie-another cat with a gash on her tummy!

Mieksie-healed and at home

Links:

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